Rachel Bobbitt, art-pop rising star from Toronto, has put together an album of incisive character studies in her latest four track EP, called, The Half We Still Have. “I wanted these songs to reflect the intense dynamics that take shape in relationships,” she says of the album. “I’ve found in some relationships, you give and give, only to eventually lose yourself in the process. In those moments where we feel abandoned and hollow, a small sliver remains intact, preserved, and personal.” Working with her longtime collaborator, Justice Der on guitars, it is a hazy collection of indie-alt songs that recall Mitski or Soccer Mommy, with mature storytelling and maturing composition.

While her last offering, The Ceiling Could Collapse, was moody and sparse, almost folk, her recent EP lets the guitars and her vocals roar in a satisfying static, a hushed hurricane. “The end of the night / Looking for a fight / You never could back down,” she sings to open the second song, “Marian,” with its compelling Soccer Mommy-like chords. “Marian / Look at the state you’re in / You tried to save the night / You couldn’t quite.”

The songs, while dealing with universal struggles, is yet free from cliches. It is fresh, in sound and lyrics, though perhaps the transformation from the last album to this one is an attempt to remain relevant in the world of woman indie rockers. It’s a good look though for Bobbitt, with more bite and more brawn, while maintaining a characteristic gentleness.

It’s a short offering at four songs, perhaps made up for in the depth and breadth of the songs, though I think an audience would eat up a full album of songs like these. With songs like “The Call’s Inside the House,” and lyrics like “You can make my world as small as you want,” there is a certain macabre feel to her work. Like a short story writer, there is a real substance to each track and the four tracks as a collection. “A handful of sun / The tip of your tongue / Freeze frame of a frown.” She knows how to be sad and smart at the same time. A solid collection of songs.

Order The Half We Still Have HERE