Hackney Colliery Band ft: Ola Onabulé - Hacked Soul (Single)

Picture Credit: Hollie Fernando

Since 2009, east London musical pioneers Hackney Colliery Band have pushed the boundaries of ‘brass band’ conventions, building a steadfast fanbase with their joyous and expansive live shows, and slew of heralded releases. Now fifteen years deep into their collective journey, and with some incredible career highlights to note (such as performing to 80,000 people at the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games in London), the twelve piece outfit prepare to announce their fifth full-length offering, the hotly anticipated ‘Collaborations : Volume Two’.

Whereas their fourth album ‘Collaborations: Volume One’ was produced in collaboration with a range of creative talents including Grammy-winning Beninese vocalist Angélique Kidjo and godfather of Ethiopian jazz Mulatu Astatke, ‘Volume Two’ sees HCB go back to basics, harnessing the limitless creative spirit that has kept the band’s furnace burning so brightly, with the help of several special guests along the way.

The album announcement comes alongside the release of new single ‘Hacked Soul’ which sees guest vocalist Ola Onabulé deliver a revitalising and inspiring performance atop an vibrant and energised composition, giving a taster of what to expect from this forthcoming album from seasoned and heralded live act, at the top of their game. A post-modern soul anthem for the age of AI anxiet, and call to arms for human creative expression, Onabulé weaves a sinuous vocal through the burbling, asymmetric groove of the verse, before exploding into a righteous and soulful chorus, declaring ‘they’ll never hack the Human Soul’.