Jess Urwiler’s first EP, “roots,” was never part of a plan. When she wrote “teen,” which she had previously released as a single, she did not know it would become part of a larger project. The song came first, and the rest followed slowly over time. The EP grew with her, capturing the years between 17 and early adulthood. Each song reflects who she was at the time it was written. Together they create a record that documents the process of growing up.
With inspiration from artists like Adrienne Lenker and Phoebe Bridgers, Urwiler focuses on honesty in her writing. When Urwiler decided to make the EP, she had to revisit the songs as past versions of herself. Recording them again meant stepping back into the same feelings she had when she wrote them. She described it as a kind of time capsule. Reliving the songs was difficult. It meant finding a balance between self-expression and preservation. The project became a form of self-discovery, tracing her growth not only as a person but as a musician.
“meet me” opens the EP. “Meet me in the back of my mind next to memories I’ve tried to unwind.” The song circles around unfinished conversations and the exhaustion that comes from trying to make sense of them. The delivery is quiet and steady, matching the song’s focus on reflection.
Urwiler recorded the following track “blue” with a microphone placed across the room, under her guitar, and near her mouth to capture the song as if it sounded like you were in the room with her. “Blue on my brain, spinnin’ round me… up close we are sort of red, like space, floating away.” The track focuses on feeling mentally overwhelmed and emotionally distant, nothing feels clear or grounded. The raw recording setup supports that, making the track feel more like a document of a state of mind than a structured performance or recording.
“teen,” the song that started everything, focuses on introspection at a young age. “Feeling guilty for wilting this early on, I’m seventeen living the dream of being who I’m not.” When she wrote it, she was not thinking about how it would fit into an album. It was just a reflection of where she was. The song later became the foundation for “roots,” shaping the themes of time and identity that carry through the rest of the project.
“my red guitar” became her favorite song to produce. It was written during a hard period, but it ended up being the most fun for her to work on. She experimented with recording techniques and allowed herself to try new sounds. The song moves with more energy than the others. “I cleaned the strings of my red guitar… you come in my room then you come in my bed, then you leave.” It deals with the emotional impact of someone who shows up inconsistently. The arrangement is more upbeat that the others, contrasting with the subject matter.
“inside” shifts the tone. “If I could I would turn all my clocks back, the bedroom, the kitchen, and you.” The song looks at loss without sentimentality. It acknowledges change after a breakup while trying to understand what remains.
“make it out” closes the record. Urwiler wrote it in one sitting. The lyrics move through feelings of burnout, insecurity, and trying to get through the day. “I’ll never relive eighteen, I’ll never decide between feeling everything or numb it all on my porch.” The song looks at what it is like to live with conflicting emotions without always knowing how to handle them. The line “You riddle me with self-doubt, but we will make it out” ends the record on a note that’s uncertain but still hopeful.
“roots” captures emotions that are often hard to put into words. The songs on the EP do not rely on dramatic language or heavy production. They focus on real experiences and the feelings that come with them. Urwiler is honest in how she writes, it is what makes the EP so special. It is exciting to see this kind of work early in her career, and it will be interesting to see what she makes next.