Rebekah Higgs

In 2008, Halifax, NS chanteuse Rebekah Higgs was swept away by Colin Crowell's sassy electro steppers Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees, coming back just a bit more confident and glossy. Little Voice, Higgs's first solo outing since her 2007 self-titled debut, works as a stopgap EP featuring four singer-songwriter-esque tracks that show Higgs blossoming into a slicker singer and more decisive songwriter. With a healthy dose of help from producer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine, Califone) and fellow Thoughtful Bee Jason Vautour on guitar, Higgs crafts foggy soundscapes accented by a vocal delivery that skilfully moves between sober and druggy. Brian Deck's production sound comes across well on songs like the cunningly written "Miserably Together" and sprawling (at three-and-a-half minutes) lullaby "Asleep All Winter." Little Voice is a marvellous EP that raises the bar high, but with the right company, Higgs's sophomore LP should have no trouble Fosbury Flop-ing over it.