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Folk/pop artist Ryan Montbleau releases his new EP, Water, the third EP of a series of four unique EPs – Wood, Fire, Water, Air. Each of the songs on Water was written while Ryan was in Peru and mirror the healing nature of the country’s landscape.

Referring to the EP, Ryan says, “My whole adult life has been this journey of trying to figure out where home is. I think I’ve finally found it.” He goes on to add, “I’ve been through a lot over these past few years, and I’ve experienced some monumental shifts in my perspective. The only way for me to write about it was to get as honest and vulnerable as I could.”

Collaborating with artists such as Martin Sexton, Trombone Shorty, Tall Heights, and Galactic, Ryan collected more than 100 million streams on Spotify and shared the stage with Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ani DiFranco, The Wood Brothers, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Mavis Staples. Encompassing five tracks, highlights on Water include “Let’s Make a Movie,” which opens on a sparkling piano back by a low-slung organ, filling the tune with glowing textures. Strings enter, embellishing the song with quixotic savours. Ryan’s tenor simmers with warm surfaces, rife with the passion of love.

“Tonight’s Captain” rolls out on tropical flavours, transitioning into an exotically tined country melody. Hints of reggae give the song a delicious, buoyant feel, while Ryan’s slightly twangy voice imbues the lyrics with carefree energy. Brass accents add to the creamy harmonics. “Forgiveness,” a personal favourite, features soft colouration, gorgeous strings, and an elegant piano, infusing the melody with a gentle rippling flow as Ryan narrates the import of forgiveness. “‘ Til The End of Our Days” rides a plush syncopated Latin rhythm, rumbling and clacking with delightful cadence. At once sensuous and contagiously effervescent, there’s a wonderful alluring quality to the song, making listeners begin to move to the music.

Water ranges from soft and almost ethereal to infectious tropical-flavoured melodies. The end result is a captivating EP.

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Ryan Montbleau has over 100 million streams to date and is well known for his powerhouse live performances supporting the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ani DiFranco, Mavis Staples, etc. He is known for his “eloquent, soulful songwriting.”