Songwriter turned solo standout Stacy Barthe struck out on her own because she writes music too dark and personal for pop stars. “No Strings Attached” is a strange kind of love song about a connection brought on by boredom and malaise. Over a thick, steady-kicking reggae beat by Jamaican-born producer Supa Dups, Barthe sounds cynical and sweet at once, half-tied to lust and half over it entirely. The track comes from nine-song EP In the InBetween, out now. Her forthcoming album PS: I Love You, will feature more Caribbean-flavored tracks from Supa Dups, and most promising, a bunch of happy songs written after Barthe began a new relationship.

Stream: Stacy Barthe f. John Legend, “No Strings Attached”