Ezra is a single-name artist who is not afraid to push the envelope. Earlier this year, his team sent us his anthemic hit “tightrope,” which was a tiny portion of his fully-fledged debut project, ‘appreciate the small things,’ and I’m so glad they did.

This generation of artists is doing a lot of incredible things; we, as a collective, are taking moving parts from genres we grew up loving to create something entirely new that resonates. That is how art, and especially music, can continue to evolve. Ezra is an expert at doing this, even in his budding stages— it will be amazing to see what he does when he is ready to fully blossom.

Sonically, Ezra articulately curates a soundscape based on half “real,” live instruments & half electronic ones, though there isn’t too much noise cluttering the ep. Rather, emotionally charged, vulnerable lyrics render Ezra an excellent songwriter. “Tightrope” still stands tall as a favorite in the project. He has, along with assistance from his team, done an incredible job at picking what goes where. Choosing this lead single gave audiences enough of a taste of his potential without spoiling the whole thing.

Otherwise, the intro track, “backup plan,” has a unique, twinkly vibe to it. The world Ezra’s music lives in is full of vivid color, and it will be interesting to see how he incorporates these elements in future endeavors. Hopefully, his lyrical prowess will continue to shine through in upcoming projects.

There are very vulnerable moments, especially in the title track. The very first lines punch you in the gut, in the best way possible. Sure, we could label Ezra into the “emo” category, but that would almost be an injustice to the many elements he borrows from other genres. He exists in a realm of his own creation, which is sure to expand over time.

I’m a big fan of mixing in various synths to round out a mix. There are some full ones in “better on mute.” This song would be awesome in a live setting, energizing a crowd of people singing along with Ezra’s melodic vocal range.

Ezra is doing a great job at showcasing his full potential from the very beginning. If he keeps it up, he’ll be at the forefront of the scene, and very deserving of the spotlight. We’re in desperate need of his real, vulnerable lyricism paired with colorful, intuitive composition.