Toronto-based vocalist Kalya Ramu and pianist Ewen Farncombe have just released a five-song EP called Duo, featuring all original songs by the rising jazz talents.
Influenced by the golden-age musical styles of the 1930s through the 1950s, the new recording “explores love in its many forms, whether it be towards a partner, a musical genre, a fleeting feeling, or one’s life choices.”
Duo is an intimate showcase of Ramu’s warm, dynamic voice and Farncombe’s emotive playing. The songs tend toward slow-paced, leisurely comforts, with highlights including “Laugh It Off” and “Comfort,” though the pair also throws some upbeat fun into the mix with “That Swingin’ Rhythm.” Ramu’s lyrics, meanwhile, are partly sweet and partly cynical, always seeking to avoid being overly serious.