The morning of September 4th was a game-changer for Australian YouTuber-turned-musician Troye Sivan. Upon the release of his latest EP (short for extended play; a mini album), WILD, he enjoyed a swift journey to the center of the public eye. In its first week, WILD debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in Australia, and number 5 in the US. A-list musicians such as Taylor Swift and Sam Smith spoke highly of the record, giving him international credibility and likely influencing his rise to the top.

Sivan entered the music seen late last year with the release of TRXYE, his first EP and major label venture into music. TRXYE was critically acclaimed and did well on the charts, but didn’t result in nearly the kind of star-power that WILD accumulated following it’s release. The latter represents an evolution in Sivan’s sound, packing matured lyrics and more polished production techniques.

This time Sivan knew exactly who to collaborate with, and his experience paid off: WILD is one of the most impressive pop records of the year. It may be short, but what the album lacks in quantity it certainly makes up for in taste and originality.

The opening track, record namesake “WILD”, is the first in a series of effortless alt-pop tunes. Each song on WILD is highly memorable, with more than enough story to tell. “Leave this blue neighborhood/never knew loving could hurt this good”, he sings at the beginning of the chorus. This particular line will stay in your head for the next few days, partly due to impressive vocal delivery and partly because of Sivan’s knack for unique lyricism.

Fan-favorite, “FOOLS”, begins as a slow ballad and builds into an irresistible sing-along chorus. “Only fools fall for you, only fools/only fools do what I do/only fools fall” he sings of a past relationship gone bad. Part of the allure of Sivan’s lyrical technique is his ability to make well-thought out pop songs centered around moments his listeners can relate too.

My personal favorite, album standout “THE QUIET”, opens slowly like “FOOLS”, but with a darker twist. The song has minimal instrumentation throughout the verses, allowing Sivan’s voice to take the lead and linger between every passing beat. It remains slow and dark as it approaches the chorus, when Sivan’s voice rises. “Just tell me, say anything/anything hurts less than the quiet”, he sings before the bass drops and the instrumental briefly takes over.

The last track on the EP, “DKLA”, features an excellent guest verse from Australian rapper Tkay Maidza, who delivers her lines with excellent precision and sounds perfectly at home on an alternative pop record.

The entire record is a seamless blend of outstanding writing and innovative production. Many will try to imitate the unique style of WILD, and it will serve as inspiration to future musicians for years to come. The factors that cause the tracks mentioned above to stand out amongst the rest of the EP are quite minimal. Every song has chart-topping potential. You can never write too many hits, and Sivan is just getting started.