Esa Williams - Vanguard Drive

First single from Esa Williams LP “Dala What We Must” blends township funk, analog soul, and intergenerational storytelling.

South African-born, London-based producer, composer & DJ Esa Williams releases Vanguard Drive, the powerful lead single from his forthcoming LP, Dala What We Must. Featuring Tasneem Williams and backed by Another Taste, the track is a poignant and groove-rich meditation, also the healing wounds of apartheid’s impact, collective memory, and the enduring sounds of Cape Town’s townships.

Recorded live to tape at Space Grapes Studios in Rotterdam, the track captures a lush analog warmth rarely found in modern production. This hands-on recording approach reflects the project’s deeper intent: honouring music as memory, archive, and act of resistance.

“Some roads are more than roads,” Esa reflects. “Vanguard Drive cuts through Cape Town like a scar. This track carries the weight of that history, but also the resilience, the music blasting from taxis, kids playing Ghoema rhythms on makeshift drums, the memories that refuse to disappear.”

Crafted in collaboration with multi-instrumentalist and producer Robin G. Breeze, the song fuses fragments of the late 70’s early 80’s with a modern sonic palette, rich soulful grooves and layered rhythmic storytelling. Inspired by Klopse processions and Cape Flats Yaadt gatherings, “Vanguard Drive” is both intimate and expansive.

Vanguard Drive sets the tone for Dala What We Must, an LP shaped across continents and chapters of personal transformation, including Esa’s journey into fatherhood. Grounded in archival sound and diasporic soul, the album is both a love letter to Cape Town, Esa’s mother city, and a bold reimagining of its sonic futures.

“This isn’t just about looking back—it’s about tracing a path forward,” Esa says. “Most of the recording and mixing process made us slow down. Listen deeper. Honour what came before. And create something that holds.”

Release date: December 5th, 2025