If you're an Esthero fan, chances are you've been holding your breath in anticipation to a follow-up of the vocalist's addictive first album, "Breath From Another."

Well, you can finally breathe easy.

Like a smart hostess who dishes up a few appetizers to her guests to tide them over until dinner is served, Esthero has released a short, but successful EP, with a handful of tasty tracks that will appear among other songs on her forthcoming full-length album "Wikked Lil' Grrrls."

It's been six years since Esthero first hit the airwaves with "Breath From Another." The disc was a smart, sassy debut for the Toronto-based singer, whose smooth vocals blended perfectly with the trip-hop beats and quirky sampling of her then-recording partner Martin McKinney. But despite rave reviews from fellow artists, and predictions that she would be the next big thing, the album's U.S. sales fell short of expectations.

But apparently a lot has changed in Esthero's life since 1998. She split with McKinney and set sail on her own. She also picked up a few friends along the way, leading to collaboration with artists such as Sean Lennon and Cee-Lo.

The EP, "We r in need of a musical revolution!," is the fabulous result of an intelligent musician's six-year sabbatical from making records. While the EP features Esthero's signature rich, breathy voice that fans fall for, it also shows a maturation of the vocalist's song-writing and producing abilities.

The album kicks off to a high-energy start with the title track as an opener. A heavy bass line and alternating vocal effect keeps the song rocking as Esthero blasts the music industry.

"I'm so sick and tired of the shit on the radio and MTV/they only play the same thing no matter where I go/I see Ashanti in the video/I want something more/We are in need of a musical revolution."

Esthero is at ease here, seamlessly blending pop sensibilities with jazz, rock, hip hop and Latin flavors. Each song is vastly different from the previous one, but they flow so well into each other that the listener never feels jostled from track to track. Often, it's hard to tell when one song ends and another begins - the mixing is just that smooth.

The EP is a smart sampling of Esthero's versatile sound. It's also an absolute tease. The six tracks are so good and so diverse that, until the full-length disc is released in February, they will undoubtedly leave listeners squirming in their seats, restless for more.

If you liked this band, you might also like: Erykah Badu, Björk, Portishead