From her home in the small but musically vibrant city of Guelph, Ontario, Steph Yates developed the songs of her debut solo project, Cots. Though initially conceived as a purely solitary project, she traveled to Toronto to record with producer Sandro Perri and a crew of the city’s best jazz players. Thankfully, instead of overstuffing Yates’ sparse melodies, her close-mic’d voice and guitar remain in crystal clear focus, while the instruments and field samples provide subtle sonic shading.