Ezra Vancil - Island

Float away to Ezra Vancil's captivating new single, 'Island' The Texan country/Americana artist is back with a warm, enveloping love ballad, performed in duet with his wife, Cozi Vancil. "island is a track that eases you into a sublime, relaxed state of being with Ezra's gentle, nostalgic vocals, stirring pop harmonies and deep emotional quotient For a moment, close your eyes and picture yourself on a quiet, deserted beach at sundown, standing at the shore as the soft crashing waves caress your feet in the soft, yielding sand. That's how 'Island' opens, in sublime fashion. We're serenaded by the sounds of crashing waves, a shimmering guitar chord sturm and evocative hummed harmonies from Ezra & Cozi. Its one of the most stirring openings we've heard in a while. Leading into the opening verse, Ezra sings oh so softly and tenderly, reminiscing “When I make it back to the island, I hope I’m young enough for the fun, race you to the beach in the morning, chase you back to the bed when the moon is rising…” The effect is captivating and mesmerizing instantly. You lean closer in to really immerse into the emotionality and warmth that he expresss throguh his poetic prose. Ezra shares, “Island was written a few years after my wife and I got back together. We’d gone through a divorce, a lot of hard years, and this song came from the peace that followed. It’s a song about time moving on, even when life finally feels right. We took a little trip to the beach with our daughter after a string of shows. We didn’t have much, but we splurged on a night at a hotel by the ocean. It was one of those perfect memories – sand, laughter, sunlight – and I think I wrote the song trying to hold on to that. It’s the calm after the storm. 'Island' effotlessly conveys that tropical feel with Ezra's subtle Spanish rolled into his gentle vocals, flowing upon a smooth, steady rhythm. The guitar sections are particupalry compelling, adding great soul and personality to this laid-back, carefree opus. We particularly enjoyed how he seamlessly switches vocal effects to a megaphone style, giving a fluid street performance feel. This is a track that feels complete and grounded all throughout its 5-minute runtime, speaking volumes of Ezra's sublime songwriting abilities. You could easily imagine this as the soundtrack to Leonardo DiCaprio's cult film 'Island' particularly the scenes where he's just arrived at the Island and discovers a venerable paradise-like living situation. easily 5-minute, Ezra Vancil is rapidly becoming one of our favorite Americana artists. He's got this beautiful ability to bare it all, musically, emotionally, and spiritually, in each of his releases, in surprising, wholesome ways that keep us coming back for more.