Ezra Collective trace a journey through Black music on ‘Here Because Of Hope’
Mercury Prize and BRIT Award-winning Ezra Collective enter the next chapter of their story with the release of their eagerly anticipated fourth studio album, 'Here Because Of Hope'. Arriving at another landmark moment for the London collective, the record looks beyond their own sound to celebrate the journey of Black music and the people who have carried it across borders and generations.
From West Africa through the Caribbean and ultimately into Britain, 'Here Because Of Hope' explores the movement of culture, people and sound that has shaped the musical landscape around Ezra Collective.
At the centre of the project sits 'El Corazón', an irresistible Salsa-influenced focus track that captures the album’s sense of movement and celebration. The album’s wider journey has already been mapped out through recent singles. 'Only Love' featuring Pa Salieu, 'Well Organised' featuring Lila Iké and the euphoric instrumental 'Jubilee Feeling'. Each occupy different points along the record’s musical route, connecting West African and Caribbean influences with London’s own musical history. In doing so, Ezra Collective bring UK jazz into conversation with the rhythmic energy of Funky House, creating a sound that feels both deeply rooted and distinctly contemporary.
The release will be followed by a run of UK record-store appearances and out-store performances throughout September, before the band take over The Roundhouse for a special sold-out London underplay on September 16. It comes as Ezra Collective prepare for their biggest global headline tour to date, with dates stretching across Australia, Asia, North America, Europe and the UK.
'Here Because Of Hope' opens the latest chapter in an extraordinary decade for Ezra Collective. Having established themselves as one of the UK's most celebrated contemporary jazz collectives, they continue to demonstrate how far the genre can travel, and how much history can live inside its future.
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