Ember is set for release on February 27th, 2026 via Naxos Prophone.

Since forming in 2016, Ellas Kapell have carved out a distinct space on the Scandinavian scene – winning the Orkesterjournalen readers’ poll, earning Vocal Jazz of the Year from Lira Musikmagasin, and amassing more than 7 million streams. But Ember marks a turning point: the moment the band take full ownership of their sound.

Recorded, produced, and mixed entirely by the quartet, Ember represents a new level of artistic control. The group abandoned the traditional studio sprint in favour of a slower, more sculpted creative process, allowing each track to evolve with intention. The addition of synthesizers, electric bass, saxophone, and pedal steel further expands the palette, blending acoustic and electronic colours in a way that feels natural, exploratory, and unmistakably theirs.

At its core, Ember remains anchored in the band’s deep respect for the jazz canon. Standards including “Very Early,” “All the Things You Are,” “I Cover the Waterfront,” and “I Fall In Love Too Easily” are reimagined with the group’s characteristic warmth: strong arrangements, a Nordic harmonic sensibility, ensemble interplay, and the unmistakable presence of vocalist Lovisa Jennervall, supported by Manne Skafvenstedt (piano, synths), August Eriksson (double and electric bass), and Edvin Glänte (drums, percussion).

But these interpretations are anything but nostalgic. The sonic world is broader, riskier – where atmospheric electronics meet lyrical intimacy, and where production itself becomes an expressive tool. In doing so, Ellas Kapell open their music to listeners beyond the jazz sphere, inviting new audiences into a sound that balances familiarity with reinvention.