Mars Aspen's (they/them) new single “spilled milk” is an irresistibly catchy folk-pop anthem that captures the relief of finally calling it quits on a dead-end relationship. The song dances with the shimmering production the Ottawa based songwriter honed on their 2002 in orbit! EP, with jangly guitars and playful keys buoying Aspen’s honeyed voice. Clear-eyed and confident, Aspen sings, “I used to like to play pretend / act out the life we’d never get but, I’ve got to eat and pay the rent.”

As Aspen explains: “You know that saying ‘if they wanted to, they would’?” ‘spilled milk’ is about the fact that, though I couldn’t make other people change or try harder or communicate better, what I could do was respect myself enough to move on to better things.”

What “spilled milk” demonstrates is the joy that bubbles up when you finally give yourself permission to move on. Though, as Aspen sings, “the milk is curdled and expired,” there’s no need for tears—it’s simply time to grow into something new.

Courageous enough to be vulnerable, Mars Aspen’s lush folk confessionals, dig into the hardest parts of intimate connections, spilling their heart so that you—in turn—can better understand your own.