Ethan Bortnick, “Engravings” | Track Review 🎵

Child prodigy Ethan Bortnick is as good as advertised on his single, “Engravings,” exhibiting top-notch musicianship and talent.  

“E

yes, blood, bones / Stuck in your rainbow clothes…” Okay, please continue, 🎙 Ethan Bortnick… I think… “Rest my case / If it’s not rearranged.” Umm, wow – that’s dark, mysterious, and utterly intriguing! Honestly, Ethan Bortnick, a child prodigy blessed with exceptional piano skills and perfect pitch is utterly intriguing! Bortnick is a once-in-a-lifetime talent, a rarity.  Performing at an age when most kids don’t have a clue what’s going on, he is indeed special.  His 2022 single, 🎵 “Engravings”, likewise, is special – truly captivating and fitting for such a talent as Bortnick.

There is plenty to go gaga about in “Engravings.”  First and foremost, the musicianship is as good as advertised. Ethan is a beast at the keys – check out those killer, agile, scaler piano lines.  Furthermore, the sound and production are both fresh and throwback, given the classical music sensibilities from those piano lines. Not to focus only on the piano, but what about those clusters Bortnick throws in? Awesome! Further amplifying Bortnick’s musicianship are compelling pipes – the prodigy sings quite well. His tone on “Engravings” is cool because it gives it an air of enigma.   Beyond the instrumental and vocals, the songwriting is compelling too.  “Engravings” features dark, poetic lyrics, which blend seamlessly with the colorful, mysterious backdrop. “Not one bite / Stomach knots from our fight,” he sings in the second verse, continuing, “Can’t do shit / The puzzle pieces don’t fit.” Yeah, you guessed it – one shit earned Bortnick parental advisory street cred, ha-ha.  Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus, where those engravings come into play:

“All the pain is underneath, I’m listenin’

To everything, please tell me everything

I’ll put my hand up on your chest

So you forget your engravings.”

Ooh, wee, Ethan!

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Final Thoughts 💭

There is plenty to heart about Ethan Bortnick.  He’s already gone places prior to 🎵 “Engravings”.  I think it’s safe to say that as he grows into adulthood, he’s going even more places.  “Engravings” shines because it truly is alternative – it goes against the grain.  The theme and lyrics shine, while his impressive musicianship secures the excellence of this record.

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🎙 Ethan Bortnick • 🎵 “Engravings” • 🏷 Ethan Bortnick / Columbia • 📅 6.24.22

[📷: Brent Faulkner, Columbia, Ethan Bortnick, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]

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