wetlands by Ed Roppo

As a musician without formal training who started later in life, I’m frequently hindered by impostor syndrome. It’s a familiar feeling for many, for me it's a near constant companion—and it has shaped much of my work. It can make the act of composing so stressful I give up, at least temporarily.

But on this collection of tracks, while there were naturally many moments of self-doubt and more than a few songs I nearly abandoned, I found a growing ease in my process. I had a newfound confidence, joy, and a willingness to take things apart and rebuild them when an idea feels off, but worth salvaging.

Over the past year or so, I’ve felt freer to experiment than ever before. That freedom has led to more sketches, more finished work, and a more careful selection of what ultimately made it into this collection. I’m proud of these tracks, and I hope you find them enjoyable.