EKUAL TO NONE
Wow. Can you imagine? When I hear “Polish-Japanese-Swiss vocal-guitar duo creates a universe of gentle harmonics, haunting chords, intricate melodies and explorative improvisations”, I assume we are in store for yet another mind-numbing minimalist soundscape. Wrong. Polish-Japanese singer Yumi Ito’s previous effort, Stardust Crystals, was described as neo-classical-art-pop-meets-jazz. Yes, but here, Ito joins jazz guitarist Szymon Mika to create Ekual (out today), and they have somehow managed to ethereally merge gentle world music, Brazilian breezes, classical clarity, opium-den ostinatos, accessible new music, Segovian strains, and more into one of the tastiest, organic, garden-fresh delights out there. The adventurous range of this duo is an awesome thing, even using improv and spoken word, but it is soulfully unpretentious. Simply dreamy.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Ekual
Yumi Ito | vocals, whistling, composition, arrangement, lyrics
Szymon Mika | guitar, ronroco, composition
HEVHETIA (in cooperation with Unit Records) | 7 tracks | October 28, 2021 | 47:23
listen here
for more info, visit Gretchen Parlato
Track Listing
1. Minha Flor
2. Float and Drift
3. My Restless Mind
4. Data Beta
5. Longing
6. Running
7. Yumika
