The Idea Of Her

At its core, Ali Gatie’s The Idea of Her is a love letter to love itself. It takes the ever-anonymous muse “her” as its subject, but the EP is an investigation into how romance can lead us to some of our highest highs and our lowest lows. In just the span of the first two songs, “Bigger Person” and “Can't Let You Go”, the Toronto singer moves from bountiful, sacrificial devotion to wounded, forlorn longing. He presses forward through the remaining tracks, mapping a journey through the heart—the butterfly-filled bliss of a late-night rendezvous, the uncertainty of adoration not yet reciprocated—against a backdrop that merges breezy R&B and indie pop. On standout “lie to me”, fellow Canadian Tate McRae gives a voice to the object of Gatie's affections as the pair engage in accusations of dishonesty. And save for the anthemic “Do You Believe”, which features Ty Dolla $ign and Marshmello, he otherwise goes it alone, making an optimistic case that no matter how painful or confusing love can be, it's somehow always worth it in the end.