A collaborative solo project since its inception, released a well-received debut album that grappled with themes of identity, , in 2022. After netting tours with the likes of and , singer/songwriter headed to upstate New York to record the follow-up in the studio of another dreamily intimate indie pop act, . The duo's produced the album. Some of the other contributors to sessions included 's , drummer ( ), and producer , and mixed the set. The resulting material finds the songwriter still exploring the hidden corners of identity and self-reflection, the nuances of relationships including friendships, and other personal terrain, as implied by its title, . Appearing midway through the track list, the song "Artichoke" opens with the hum of a keyboard and a multi-sensory memory ("I found your favorite T-shirt in the back of the car/Smelled like fire and bug spray/And your face in a flashlight at dark") before expanding to include folk-style guitar and a minimalist rhythm section. It eventually arrives at the repeated line "The heart of the artichoke leaves me wanting more." Such subtly and metaphor is typical of , who populates the album with evocative objects, cherished memories, sweetly wistful melodies, and plenty of yearning. Seeming to meet at the crossroads of , a song like the lilting "Virtual Hug" covers catchy indie pop and earnest folk-rock territory while endorsing the "practice of patience" with regards to an absent loved one. While waiting for a text reply, the song has remembering playing with a neighbor's dog, the recipient's coffee order, and their favorite songs. This quiet devotion also surfaces on songs ranging from "Where I End and You Begin," whose lusher, layered textures support a lengthy electric guitar solo, and the naked "Carefully," which ends with a convincingly impromptu sigh. A gem of tenderness, ends on the frustrated "Old Friend," which, despite their display of altruistic sentiment, leaves still on the outside looking in. ~ Marcy Donelson