Ezra Vancil’s “Island” is a song about getting your life back after it’s been in pieces. He wrote it a few years after getting back together with his wife, and you can hear that relief in every note. Recorded in a cabin out in East Texas with his daughter Cozi singing backup, the track has this easygoing quality that never forces anything. Ty Richards plays some really nice surfy guitar that gives the whole thing a shimmer, and the rhythm section from Chris Brush and Jon Estes keeps it steady without getting in the way. Vancil tracked this without headphones, just playing into the room with monitors, so you get all these natural imperfections and space that make it sound real.
The song comes from a beach trip he took with his family when they didn’t have much money but splurged on one night by the ocean. He’s trying to hold onto that memory, and the music reflects, gentle, unhurried, grateful. This is part of the Morning half of his double album, which is all about coming back to life after years of heartbreak. It’s simple in the best way, and Vancil sounds like someone who’s finally at peace with where he’s been and where he is now.
Make sure you follow Ezra Vancil on Instagram to keep up with his releases and see what else he’s working on from this double album project.
