Ezra Collective – ‘Dance, No One’s Watching’ album review: An infectious jazz odyssey
THE SKINNY: Jazz music has never particularly lost its relevance; it has always been bubbling away just beneath the surface of the mainstream, beloved by a cult following. In recent years, groups like London’s Ezra Collective have helped orchestrate something of a renaissance in jazz since their initial formation in 2016. Now, the band have unleashed their stunning third album, fittingly entitled Dance, No One’s Watching, which sees them demonstrate their diverse range of influences and endless penchant for collaboration and improvisation.
For Ezra Collective, following up on their groundbreaking sophomore record, Where I’m Meant To Be, the winner of 2023’s Mercury Prize, was never going to be a particularly easy task. Seemingly, though, the band have spent the past two years crafting an incredible sonic experience in the form of Dance, No One’s Watching. More so than any other record released in recent years, this is a release that is acutely aware of the power of the album as a format. Far from being a disjointed collection of ten or so songs, Ezra Collective have meticulously created a musical journey that flows seamlessly between grooves and atmospheres.
In essence, the record can be divided into four distinct sections, broken up by interludes that help to weave a separate narrative outside of the main tracklisting. These different sections are imbued with wildly different music styles. For instance, the third act of the record sees Ezra Collective deliver an infectious, danceable soundscape, which lives up to the title of the album. In contrast, the second act – also, incidentally, the shortest – is much more relaxed and downtempo, taking inspiration from lounge jazz and South African amapiano music—it gives you a breath by the figurative bar. These differing sections help to keep the 19-track album from dragging on or feeling dull at any point.
Although the album is clearly spearheaded by the collective itself, with the bandleader Femi Koleoso as well as the piano styling of Joe Armon-Jones being particular highlights, this album is boosted tenfold by its various collaborators. Within this record, Ezra Collective collide with the likes of R&B vocalist Yazmin Lacey, neo-soul star Olivia Dean, Ghanaian rapper M.anifest, and South African musician Moonchild Sanelly.
Each of these figures provide a new and unique angle to the album. More than that, though, these songs help to bolster the atmosphere of improvisation and organic spontaneity, which is also helped out by the various sound bites of live performances included across the album. It might be something of a cliché, but this is truly a fresh musical experience, rather than being just another jazz record.
For fans of: Striking the perfect balance between wanting to stay at home and listen to Journey in Satchidananda, and wanting to go out on the town, drink wine, and dance to afrobeat.
A concluding comment from a recently converted jazz fan: “At the start of this album, I was a person just like you, but now I have spontaneously sprouted a trilby and a smoking pipe. I am scared, and I cannot stop talking to people about John Coltrane.”
Dance, No One’s Watching track by track:
Release date: September 27th | Producer: Ezra Collective | Label: Partisan Records
‘Intro’: Beginning with the sound of crowd chatter before fading into some smooth brass jazz, this introductory segment of the album sets the tone beautifully, imbuing the record with an improvisational style that gives the audience an idea of hearing the band in a live setting.
‘The Herald’: A euphoric slice of afrobeat-influenced jazz which speaks to the diverse and wide-reaching influences of Ezra Collective. This song, in particular, evokes the golden age of Nigerian funk and jazz, bringing those sounds to modern audiences. [5/5]
‘Palm Wine’: The Summer months might have passed, but this horn-heavy effort would be the perfect accompaniment to a day spent sipping cocktails and palm wine in the sunshine surrounded by the people you love most. Essentially, it is a summer song that retains its power even in the colder months. [4/5]
‘Cloakroom Link Up (Act 1)’: This is one of four interludes that pop up over the course of the tracklisting. While, in isolation, these moments do not offer a great deal of note, they do help to keep the flow of the album consistent, as well as weaving in a separate narrative to the record.
‘God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (feat. Yazmin Lacey)’: A definite highlight of this record comes with its various collaborations. This one, which sees Ezra Collective collide with the incredible R&B singer Yazmin Lacey, feels like a match made in heaven. Her voice melts like butter over the velvety piano stylings of Joe Armon-Jones. [5/5]
‘Ajala’: Continuing the theme of live music performance and organic improvisation, this starts with an address to a live audience before erupting into a dangerously infectious jazz-funk odyssey. Drawing particular influence from old-school highlife and afrobeat music, it is virtually impossible to listen to this without moving your body, as the album’s title insists. [4.5/5]
‘The Traveller’: The transitions in between tracks on this record are so subtle that you might not even realise ‘The Traveller’ has begun. It gradually slows down the pace brought about by ‘Ajala’, although it does not offer much of a note aside from being a transitional/travelling effort. [3.5/5]
‘In the Dance (Act 2)’: The second instalment of the record’s interlude narrative, moving from upbeat jazz and funk to a grandiose orchestral arrangement which helps to break up this colossal album.
‘N29’: Slowing down the pace somewhat, Ezra Collective turns to gentle, lounge and amapiano-inspired effort. It might not be as funky or danceable as some of the previous tracks, but it demonstrates the adaptability of the band’s sound and offers some top-tier background music, too. [4.5/5]
‘No One’s Watching Me (feat. Olivia Dean)’: Perhaps the most hotly anticipated collaboration on this record sees Ezra Collective come together with beloved neo-soul vocalist Olivia Dean. Aside from Dean’s expectedly excellent vocal performance, the horns on this song are a definite highlight. [4/5]
‘Our Element (Act 3)’: Ushering in the third act of this epic 19-track record, the interlude features a voice commanding the listener to lose themselves in the innate human need for dancing and musical expression.
‘Hear My Cry’: Bowing down to the voice of the interlude, Ezra Collective move into a distinctly more danceable avenue, presenting a sound that would be equally welcome in a late-night jazz club as it would the dancefloor of a trendy nightclub. [4/5]
‘Shaking Body’: More so than any other song on this record, ‘Shaking Body’ does what it says on the tin. An infectious highlife number that only becomes more captivating and danceable with every subsequent listen. [4.5/5]
‘Expensive’: Continuing on the unstoppably positive vibrations of the previous track, Ezra Collective delve further into their wide breath of inspiration to create a song which pays homage to its influence while moving the band into new avenues and musical directions. [4/5]
‘Streets is Calling (feat. M.anifest & Moonchild Sanelly)’: The final collaboration from this album sees Ezra Collective embrace Ghanaian rapper M.anifest along with South African Kwaito musician Moonchild Sanelly. Fostering an organic and spontaneous atmosphere, ‘Streets is Calling’ seems to be the product of multiple groundbreaking musicians feeding off each other’s influences. [5/5]
‘Lights On (Act 4)’: As we sadly enter the final stage of the album, the final interlude continues the orchestral theme, moving from the dance-heavy third act to a more relaxed ending.
‘Why I Smile’: A relaxed yet unboring effort which sees Ezra Collective revert back to their smooth jazz origins, easing listeners into a slow descent into the final few tracks on this album. [4/5]
‘Have Patience’: Once again, Armon-Jones’ piano talents are on full display, with him taking centre-stage on the album’s penultimate song. This fourth act sounds worlds apart from the afrobeat and highlife-inspired tracks earlier in the record, yet Ezra Collective have managed to arrive at this point without jolting from one style to another. [4/5]
‘Everybody’: Finishing Dance, No One’s Watching on a five-minute epic, this song feels like something of an encore, capturing virtually every style and atmosphere encased on the album as the song progresses. [4.5/5]
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