Valley first caught our attention with the release of their single “hiccup” earlier this year, and now they are once more making their way into our daily playlists with the release of their full EP sucks to see you doing better.

Released yesterday, sucks to see you doing better follows last year’s MAYBE as the latest release by the Toronto based indie pop band- with five new tracks and an acoustic bonus that will have you drowning in emotions while also feeling seen and understood.

Opening on the catchy but heartbreaking title track “sucks to see you doing better,” the EP starts off on a right- albeit sad- foot.

A single about thinking you are seeing someone doing better than you following a breakup, the track actually explores the reality that neither party is ever as okay as they seem after a split- despite their public persona. And even if one party is doing better than the other- nothing is ever as simple or easy as it comes across.

With a fun and almost poppy back drop, the song reminisces on the relationship prior to its turn south in an emotional way that leaves listeners feeling unsure about their emotions. Should they be sad with the narrator? Or be dancing to the catchy beats?

Following the title track is “nevermind,” an anthem to being indecisive while also striving to live a better life.

Another catchy bop, “nevermind” follows the feelings of being stuck in a rut and being unsure how to get out. Longing for the days of the past and consuming tons of media and nostalgia to try to find your place, the track takes listeners on a journey of self discovery that isn’t going as planned or as easily as hoped.

And in following with the EPs theme of being lost inside of your own head and processing a variety of emotions, “nevermind” leads perfectly into “homebody,” a song all about finding it difficult to get out of your own head and subsequently, out of bed.

With themes of a battle with depression being hinted at throughout the EP, “homebody,” hones in on the idea that sometimes it’s more difficult to get up and put yourself out into the world. And even though our friends want to help us to stop wallowing or to get back on track, it is okay to take a beat and allow yourself to feel your emotions. Especially when you have this song to put on repeat and just FEEL to.

But when things feel their lowest, it is also important to remember that they will once more be okay and that you will be able to put yourself out there once again- a reminder that the band explores in the next track “BE THE ONE.”

A promise to a future partner that they will make it out of the relationship okay, “BE THE ONE” is another dark bop that seems romantic in nature but is actually quite sad.

With the lyrics implying that when the relationship implodes, the narrator will “be the one” to get hurt- the song suggests (especially in context of previous songs on the EP) that that is a theme throughout their life. And though the track is also an upbeat pop song, like the rest of the release, it makes listeners pause for a moment to question its meaning while also wondering about their own relationships and how they’ve played out in the past.

Ending the EP on our most streamed song “hiccup,” followed by an acoustic version of the same track, sucks to see you doing better closes out dripping with nostalgia about a relationship that has fizzled out. Wondering if their previous partner is doing better or where they are now “hiccup” shows the opposite side to “sucks to see you doing better,” where the narrator is rethinking their relationship and wondering if they could make it work if they gave it another go.

In all, the EP encapsulates what it feels like to grow up. With uncertainty at every turn, in addition to navigating your own feelings as well as those around you, Valley are honest and open about their experiences in a way that makes listeners feel validated in their own struggles.

The world isn’t always a beautiful place, but Valley make us feel less alone.

You can stream sucks to see you doing better out now, wherever you stream music.

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