This is Ryan Lott’s debut album, but the not-quite-30-year-old has plenty of composing experience under his belt. At War With Walls and Mazes
collects fuzzy beats, whispery, processed vocals, and abstract soundscapes that occasionally come together into powerfully complex moments, as on “Break,” with its piano-backed anguish, the chamber-like strings on “Stay,” and the flutes lacing “Betray.” Unfortunately for the classically trained Lott, much of the work bears the same sonic stamp, and his vocals are too limited to break out of that sameness. Still, the thoughtful textures and carefully constructed compositions here make clear his potential, even if he hasn’t reached it yet.