Unlike most previous Davis albums, E. S.P. consisted entirely of new compositions written by members of the group. Despite the abundance of new material, only one track ("Agitation") is known to have appeared on live performances by the group. "Little One" is perhaps best known for being re-recorded on Hancock's breakthrough album Maiden Voyage, recorded a few weeks later. This version is a bit more embryonic; Carter's bass is tentative, and Davis and Shorter carry the theme with sinuous, interlocking contrapuntal lines reminiscent of Davis and Coltrane's version of "Round Midnight." Hancock's solo on Carter's composition "Eighty-One" also anticipates his work on this LP - especially the title track. The title track recalls Jackie McLean's "Little Melonae," which Davis recorded with John Coltrane in 1956. "Iris," on the other hand, is another Coltrane-like ballad, not unlike "Infant Eyes" on Shorter's album Speak No Evil. Shortly thereafter, Shorter's compositions began to dominate the quintet's recordings, although he contributes only two of the seven songs here