Jack Garratt is one of those musicians that we've come to expect a lot out of. He's only released two tracks prior to his EP here, but already, he's set himself up for very big things. His sound is ambitious, but he executes with the ease of a star who has been topping charts and selling out theatres for years on end. Yes, his voice is striking and transforms with an uncanny ease, but that's just one part of the puzzle. It's the more abstract things, which are much harder to master, that truly sets this Londoner apart. For instance, his music is blatantly removed from the kinds of cookie-cutter pop that does so well with the masses. Tracks like "I Couldn't Want You Anyway" and "Remnants" aren't exactly feel-good numbers, and if you're going to engage with his music on an emotional level, it's probably going to make you more sad than it will happy. However, we still can't find a single soul who hasn't enjoyed Jack's work, and this EP is the perfect example of what can be accomplished by going against the grain while focusing on the creation of music that puts quality first. With this quality comes widespread appeal, and it seems with this EP that Jack has reached the masses while armed with artistic integrity and beautifully unique and conspicuously cool sound. The four-track EP features "Water" and "Worry" (each of which have been out for some time), so it's "I Couldn't Want You Anyway" and "Remnants" that are going to be making the headlines now. Both of the new tracks are relatively somber, so we wouldn't recommend throwing either into your favorite house party playlist, but let the lack of sonic optimism dissuade you from really sinking your teeth into them. The vocals round out the instrumentations perfectly, and the lyrics are far from being just an afterthought. Oftentimes, in other music, you can tell when the words were structured to fit the music, almost haphazardly, at the end of the composition, and while we're not privy to Jack's creative process, one thing we know is that he's put as much time and effort into the lyrics as he has the rest of the tracks. This is an extremely strong EP, all the way around, and it will turn all sorts of heads in the coming months. You don't often come across music of this caliber, so treat it with care, and take some time to enjoy all the little details and subtleties that he's mixed in. We've been fans of this guy since he released "Worry", but it seems as if he's taken things to the next level, and we couldn't be happier. Purchase Remnants on iTunes.
Jack Garratt