Animals

Rock singer-songwriter Ryan Star will return on Aug. 5 with a new five-song EP, “Animals,” which the New York native executive-produced himself. Following the release of his “11:59″ album in 2010 and his single “Stay Awhile” last year, Star retreated to Rhinebeck, N.Y. to record the “Animals” EP with his touring band, which was a first for the singer-songwriter. “Impossible” was recorded live in one take, and synthesizes the rock influences on display throughout “Animals.” “‘Impossible’ inspired the title of the EP,” explains Star. “It stems from a quote I heard that humans are a hybrid between angels and animals. I feel this dichotomy every waking second and finally put it in this brutally honest song.”