Perhaps it’s a coincidence that Toronto pop shape-shifter Chris LaRocca’s second EP of 2023 should drop right in the middle of the hottest summer on record—but his timing couldn’t have been better. smile because it happened is the musical equivalent of a wavy-vapored desert mirage, a four-song hallucination where even the most relaxed moments betray a certain sun-dazed disorientation. “like u” lures you in with a blissed-out tropical slow jam that’ll make you feel like you’re melting into your poolside chair, while “switch” transforms from a simple acoustic serenade to a heady psychedelic set piece by piling on layers of swirling strings and doo-wop-inspired harmonies. And then there’s the dramatic “gloria,” which tricks you into thinking it’s a dreamy R&B ballad before a rupture of juddering beats pushes it into hyperpop territory. LaRocca is aware that his counterintuitive production choices can get in the way of his crowd-pleasing intent: “Fuck around and feel like shit/Been trying to write a goddamn hit,” he laments on the synth-pop sprint “breakup coach.” But in his case, the unpredictable journey he takes is just as exciting as the earworming destination.