German-based Namibian multiple award-winning musician Ees has unveiled his 21st studio album titled ‘Freshness’.
Baptised Erik Sell, Ees, who is now based in Germany for over two decades, took five years to complete the project.
“The album actually developed over a long period of time rather than being made in one straight five-year process. Some of the songs were written and recorded years ago, while others came much later. I didn’t want to rush the album just to get it out.
“During that time, my own sound continued to evolve, especially as I became more interested in amapiano and the new wave of African music. I kept going back to the material, changing things, adding new ideas and sometimes completely reworking songs.”
Ees adds that he wanted the album to represent where he is creatively now, and that took time.
He explains that he chose the name ‘Freshness’ because he felt that music – and even the world around us – had started becoming a little repetitive.
“I wanted to bring a new energy into my own music,” he says. “For me, ‘Freshness’ means taking everything I have learned over more than 25 years in music and giving it a new direction.”
He says he is still Ees, still carrying his kwaito and Namibian roots, but he is also embracing new sounds like amapiano.
“It is about evolution without losing your identity,” the 2009 Namibia Annual Music Awards Artist of the Year says.
The album features other Namibian artists like TopCheri, Oteya, Mr Glo, Solani, Space, ESB and Kelvin Declined.
“I enjoy collaborations because you get the opportunity to bring different personalities, voices and musical ideas into your own world,” he says.
“But even when I collaborate, I always want the final song to still have that Ees identity.”
Talking about his target market, Ees says he doesn’t really make music with only one market in mind.
“I want the music to reach people wherever they are. Of course, Namibia is extremely important to me because that is where my musical identity comes from,” he says.
“At the same time, I have built a large part of my career in Germany and Europe, so ‘Freshness’ naturally speaks to both African and international audiences.”
With the amapiano influence, he also sees a strong connection to younger audiences who are discovering African sounds all over the world.
Ultimately, though, his target audience is anyone who wants to dance, feel good and connect with the music.
Speaking about the producer of the album, Ees says ‘Freshness’ is not the work of one single producer.
“The album developed over several years and involved different production collaborations and musical influences,” says the 2012 Channel O best kwaito video winner.
“I was closely involved in the creative direction throughout the process, from the songwriting and recording to the development of the overall sound.”
He says it is important for him because even when he works with different producers, the album has to feel like one musical world – and that world is ‘Freshness’.
Ees records a lot of music instruments in analogue, meaning drums, live bass, guitar, saxophone, trumpet, keyboards, etc.
“The mix of analogue and digital instruments is the special combination that makes the music more alive in my opinion,” he says. “This does, however, take so much longer, but is so worth it.”
