Dance, No One's Watching
{{dmy|date=June 2024}}
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{{Infobox album
| name = Dance, No One's Watching
| type = studio
| artist = Ezra Collective
| cover = Ezra Collective - Dance, No One's Watching.png
| alt = Various people dancing in front of a stage with the quintet playing on it against a blue curtain.
| released = 27 September 2024
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 57:44
| label = Partisan
| producer = Ezra Collective
| prev_title = Where I'm Meant to Be
| prev_year = 2022
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Singles
| type = studio
| single1 = Ajala
| single1date = 24 April 2024
| single2 = God Gave Me Feet for Dancing
| single2date = 18 June 2024
}}}}
Dance, No One's Watching is the third studio album by London jazz quintet Ezra Collective, released on 27 September 2024 by Partisan Records. It was preceded by two singles.
Background and release
Dance, No One's Watching is the band's follow-up to their Mercury Prize-winning 2022 album Where I'm Meant to Be.{{Cite news |last=Griffiths |first=George |date=September 7, 2023 |title=Mercury Prize 2023: Ezra Collective announced as winner of 2023 Mercury Prize |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/mercury-prize-2023-ezra-collective-announced-as-winner-of-2023-merucry-prize/ |access-date=June 18, 2024 |work=Official Charts Company}}
The album's first single, "Ajala", was released on 24 April 2024.{{Cite news |last=Dwyer |first=Ross |date=April 24, 2024 |title=Ezra Collective Drops New Single "Ajala" |url=https://hypebeast.com/2024/4/ezra-collective-new-single-ajala-stream |access-date=June 18, 2024 |work=Hypebeast}} The song was recorded in Lagos in October 2023. It was named after Nigerian writer Olabisi Ajala, as well as being a reference to a Nigerian slang term for someone who can't sit still.{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Will |date=25 April 2024 |title=Ezra Collective return with energetic new single "Ajala" |url=https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/ezra-collective-new-single-ajala-listen-39022/ |access-date=June 18, 2024 |work=Rolling Stone}}
The album was announced on 18 June for a release date of 27 September by Partisan Records.{{Cite news |last=Corcoran |first=Nina |date=June 18, 2024 |title=Ezra Collective Announce New Album and Tour, Share Video for New Song |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/ezra-collective-announce-new-album-and-tour-share-video-for-new-song-watch/ |access-date=June 18, 2024 |work=Pitchfork}} With the announcement came the second single, "God Gave Me Feet for Dancing", featuring vocals from Yazmin Lacey and coming with a music video directed by Tajana Tokyo. Drummer Femi Koleoso talked about the importance of dance in his and his bandmates' lives, and said the song is "meant to look at dancing in a more spiritual capacity, like it's our God-given ability to shake away the badness of life and dance instead."{{Cite news |last=Sacher |first=Andrew |date=June 18, 2024 |title=Ezra Collective announce new album Dance, No One's Watching, share song ft. Yazmin Lacey |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/ezra-collective-announce-new-album-dance-no-ones-watching-share-song-ft-yazmin-lacey/ |access-date=June 18, 2024 |work=BrooklynVegan}}
Live
Along with the album, the band announced a tour of Europe from July through November. The tour culminated with a headlining concert at Wembley Arena on November 15, the first time a British jazz act headlined at the venue.{{Cite news |last=Coney |first=Brian |date=25 April 2024 |title=Ezra Collective Release New Single, "Ajala" |url=https://djmag.com/news/ezra-collective-release-new-single-ajala-listen |access-date=June 18, 2024 |work=DJ Mag}}
Reception
{{Music ratings
| title = Dance, No One's Watching ratings
| MC = 85/100{{Cite news |title=Dance, No One's Watching by Ezra Collective Reviews and Tracks |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/dance-no-ones-watching/ezra-collective |access-date=9 April 2025 |work=Metacritic}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite news |last=Jurek |first=Thom |title=Ezra Collective – Dance, No One's Watching |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/dance-no-ones-watching-mw0004304807 |access-date=9 April 2025 |work=AllMusic}}
| rev2 = Clash
| rev2score = 8/10{{Cite news |last=McCarthy |first=Dan |date=25 September 2024 |title=Ezra Collective – Dance, No One's Watching |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/ezra-collective-dance-no-ones-watching/ |access-date=9 April 2025 |work=Clash}}
| rev3 = The Independent
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite news |last=Nugent |first=Annabel |date=27 September 2024 |title=Ezra Collective review, Dance, No One's Watching: A thrillingly kinetic call to the dancefloor from last year's Mercury Prize winners |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/ezra-collective-dance-no-ones-watching-b2619406.html |access-date=9 April 2025 |work=The Independent}}
| rev4 = The Line of Best Fit
| rev4score = 8/10{{Cite news |last=Sigston |first=Izzy |date=27 September 2024 |title=Dance, No One's Watching is a powerful tapestry from Ezra Collective |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/ezra-collective-dance-no-ones-watching-powerful-tapestry |access-date=9 April 2025 |work=The Line of Best Fit}}
| rev5 = Mojo
| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite news |last=Eccleston |first=Danny |date=December 2024 |title=Ezra Collective - Dance, No One's Watching |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/788721805/Mojo-December-2024-UK |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=Mojo |pages=92}}
| rev6 = MusicOMH
| rev6score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite news |last=Hogwood |first=Ben |date=27 September 2024 |title=Ezra Collective – Dance, No One's Watching |url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/ezra-collective-dance-no-ones-watching |access-date=9 April 2025 |work=musicOMH}}
| rev7 = NME
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Ben |date=September 27, 2024 |title=Ezra Collective – Dance, No One's Watching review |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/ezra-collective-dance-no-ones-watching-review-3797534 |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=NME}}
| rev8 =The Observer
| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite news |last=Kalia |first=Ammar |date=September 27, 2024 |title=Ezra Collective: Dance, No One's Watching review – new moves with an emotive edge |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/sep/27/ezra-collective-dance-no-ones-watching-review |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=The Observer}}
}}
"Ajala" was nominated for Best Independent Track at the 2024 AIM Independent Music Awards, but lost to Sampha's "Spirit 2.0".{{Cite news |last=Smirke |first=Richard |date=October 17, 2024 |title=Neneh Cherry, Sparks & Jorja Smith Among Winners at 2024 AIM Awards |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/aim-awards-2024-winners-list-jorja-smith-neneh-cherry-sparks/ |access-date=March 28, 2025 |work=Billboard}} Dance, No One's Watching was ranked 33rd on Mojo{{'}}s 75 Best Albums of 2024 list.{{Cite news |date=November 11, 2024 |title=Mojo{{'}}'s 75 Best Albums of 2024 |url=https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2292-mojos-75-best-albums-of-2024/2 |access-date=November 13, 2024 |work=albumoftheyear.org}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Dance, No One's Watching track listing
| all_music = Femi Koleoso, Ife Ogunjobi, James Mollison, Joe Armon-Jones, and TJ Koleoso (Ezra Collective), except where noted.
| total_length = 57:44
| title1 = Intro
| length1 = 1:22
| title2 = The Herald
| length2 = 3:45
| title3 = Palm Wine
| length3 = 5:13
| title4 = Cloakroom Link Up (Act 1)
| music4 = {{hlist|Ezra Collective|Matt Roberts}}
| length4 = 0:24
| title5 = God Gave Me Feet for Dancing
| note5 = featuring Yazmin Lacey
| lyrics5 = {{hlist|Lacey|Craigie Dodds}}
| length5 = 3:59
| title6 = Ajala
| length6 = 4:22
| title7 = The Traveller
| music7 = {{hlist|Ezra Collective|Larry Heard}}
| length7 = 1:13
| title8 = In the Dance (Act 2)
| music8 = {{hlist|Ezra Collective|Roberts}}
| length8 = 0:42
| title9 = N29
| length9 = 3:22
| title10 = No One's Watching Me
| note10 = featuring Olivia Dean
| lyrics10 = Dean
| music10 = {{hlist|Ezra Collective|Dean}}
| length10 = 4:22
| title11 = Our Element (Act 3)
| music11 = {{hlist|Ezra Collective|Roberts}}
| length11 = 0:38
| title12 = Hear My Cry
| music12 = {{hlist|Ezra Collective|Gerald Peters|Marvia Providence}}
| length12 = 3:31
| title13 = Shaking Body
| length13 = 3:12
| title14 = Expensive
| music14 = Fela Kuti
| length14 = 6:11
| title15 = Streets Is Calling
| note15 = featuring M.anifest and Moonchild Sanelly
| lyrics15 = {{hlist|M.anifest|Moonchild Sanelly}}
| music15 = {{hlist|Ezra Collective|M.anifest|Moonchild Sanelly}}
| length15 = 2:33
| title16 = Lights On (Act 4)
| music16 = {{hlist|Ezra Collective|Roberts}}
| length16 = 0:39
| title17 = Why I Smile
| length17 = 5:10
| title18 = Have Patience
| length18 = 2:00
| title19 = Everybody
| length19 = 5:14
}}
Personnel
= Ezra Collective =
- Femi Koleoso – drums
- TJ Koleoso – bass
- Ife Ogunjobi – trumpet
- James Mollison – tenor saxophone
- Joe Armon-Jones – synthesiser
= Additional musicians =
- Yazmin Lacey – vocals (5)
- Olivia Dean – vocals (10)
- M.anifest – vocals (15)
- Moonchild Sanelly – vocals (15)
= Technical =
- Ezra Collective – producers
- David Wrench – mixing engineer
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Chart performance for Dance, No One's Watching ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Flanders|76|artist=Ezra Collective|album=Dance No One's Watching|rowheader=true|access-date=6 October 2024}} |
| {{album chart|Scotland|6|date=20241004|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2024}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|7|date=20241004|rowheader=true|access-date=4 October 2024}} |
| {{album chart|UKIndependent|2|date=20241004|rowheader=true|access-date=5 October 2024}} |