Since venturing into music in 2013, the trio band comprising Mordecai Mwini, Kenchez Muya and Wachira Gatama have cemented their place on the Kenyan music scene. Their drive is fuelled by a passion for art, which came naturally to them.
Coming straight from their hearts, they coined the name H_art the Band, which marked the beginning of an exciting journey into an unknown world.
Many a day, they would walk for long distances to the Kenya National Theatre, sit at their favourite corner and strum away or at least create music where they would get their next meal or transport back home.
After mingling with many like-minded and aspiring artistes, the trio invited rising producer MG, now renowned producer and recipient of the Afrimma Record Producer of the Year, 2022.
MG was the first producer to ever record H_art the Band, whose first classic hit they recorded went viral even before the social media era. "We knew Uliza Kiatu made a good piece and MG kept encouraging us it would make a big hit but none of us was ready for what was to come next," they said.
"Before we knew it, the song went viral and was playing on major stations, yet since we had not recorded any visuals, nobody could put a face to it. We were the unknown stars with the hottest track."
Their journey with MG Records was to continue as they recorded classics like Nikikutazama, featuring Lady Jaydee.
Now in at the top of a prolific career spanning a little over a decade and one that has witnessed fiery compositions, and collaborations, the celebrated trio is back with yet another highly anticipated masterpiece. A fifth studio album.
Their previous albums were Shoekran, Made in the Streets, Simple Man and Party Time.
The fifth is a concept album on the chronology of love, life and relationships. The album takes the listener through the 'near' redundant nature of Life.
A smooth, emotional, euphonious and close-to-the-heart mix of emotion, melody, skill and honesty in lyrics.
"You expect nothing short of awe from the band. We are in a fast-paced world and felt the need to use our music to help people slow down, listen, breathe and take a moment for themselves," said Kenchez, the group's CEO.
The album cover is creatively designed and depicted in partnership with H_art the Band by Ambrose, BackBench Animations, who just recently did the animation videos for the band's last album. It features a colourful, classic circular timepiece with different emojis to replace the numerics.
The emojis are used more to express the different emotions/ stages in a relationship. From when Cupid strikes to falling in love to the disappointment in H_art, breaks to healing and when the clock hits midnight, the cycle continues.
According to the group, the idea on this album was to slow down things and go back to the more original acoustic sound.
"But don't be fooled, this is not just an acoustic of chilled and laid-back hits; it also exudes emotional resonance from the experience we have witnessed through our journey. The sound that introduced us to the world," said lead vocalist Mordecai.
