A Gorleston musician is preparing to release his debut album, which has seen him bring together a variety of other musical talents.

Benjamin Race, who grew up in Gorleston before moving to Norwich, spent two years writing songs, which have taken the form of his first album

The album is called Everything is Energy and features a variety of guest vocalists, which he will be releasing under the name HD.

Mr Race said: “It’s more of a project than a band, with well known people in the soul music industry doing the singing - mainly as I can’t really sing.”

“I was in a band for many years as a bass player and it is quite nice to work with different people because it is a little bit different every time with each musician and song.”

Among those to feature on the album are Ellison Kendrick, Teisha Marie and Dennis Bettis.

Mr Race added: “The last two or three years I have released three singles which have been well received and have done well in the UK soul charts.

“This is the first time my music has been put together as an album.”

Mr Race said his love of music came from his father, who was a musician himself and introduced him to the genre.

He added: “I grew up listening to soul music and the house was always filled with guitars and bass guitars.

“At the start of this I did one song and it did quite well, then I wrote a few more and I was not far away from an album so I thought I may as well do one.”

Mr Race previously played in a band called the Doggett Brothers, with his former band colleague Greg Doggett also contributing to the album.

He added: “The album is about myself as a musician following my higher aspirations and pushing myself to see what I could do.

“Everything, including music, is an energy and is a great language to get across what I have to say.”

The album is being released by a record label called Ashwood Music.