Zack Gray is tying up loose ends with the release of his ‘What It Used To Be’ EP, which features one new original and an acoustic rendition of the titular offering.
The last few months have been a long, arduous journey for the Las Vegas artist. He’s been on a tireless mission working to parlay the monumental success he’s enjoyed as a vocalist within the dance music space into his own rightfully earned solo venture.
As a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and accomplished producer all bundled up into one, he’s more capable than most. Following two riveting singles on Lost In Dreams, Zack Gray is solidifying his foothold in the melodic bass realm on the strength of his new four-track offering.
Leading the way is the third and final original falling into place to form the full package. Ripe with deep-seated feelings, “Never Get Like You” is forlorn in all the right places. It follows a disparaged person choosing to create distance between an old flame, relishing in the stark differences that set them apart.
His impassioned vocals take the high road, rising above the pain with the help of faintly distorted guitar strums, doleful piano keys, broken percussive arrangements, and throbbing synths. Like every track Zack stamps his name on, this new single contains a whole world of real-life sensations that only seem to intensify with each listen.
“‘Never Get Like You’ is a song about dealing with a stubborn individual in a relationship who is stuck in their ways and is everything you are trying not to be,” says Zack Gray. “It’s a hopeful song about not stooping to the other person’s level, but still aiming for a resolution.”
Next up is the title track, the most recent song he shared with the world. Poignant and poking at modern-day romance, it touches on the complexities of dating while trying to navigate through a field of landmines composed of cheating, lying and a life spent under the microscope that is social media.
“Worth It” was the first single from the EP to see the light of day. Laced with thunderous trap-infused production and hints of orchestral elements, it set the tone for the introspective voyage he would embark on over the next couple of months. On it, he comes to terms with a failed relationship, reclaiming his own intrinsic value along the way.
Rounding out the release is the acoustic version of the sonic centerpiece. Stripping down the affair to its nuts and bolts, this version of “What Is Used To Be” feels exponentially more vulnerable while letting the brilliance of his tear-jerking lyrics soak up all of the shine. Pairing his songbird singing voice with mournful piano keys and weeping violin, Zack Gray closes the EP by leaving the listener caught in their emotions.
It’s a skill that’s not only evident throughout the entirety of his debut EP for Lost In Dreams, but it’s also a prevalent theme among the prolific list of anthems he’s birthed across dance music and beyond.
Zack Gray’s new ‘What It Used To Be’ EP is available everywhere via Lost In Dreams Records.
