Tres Luceros

Tango is the elephant in the room of this debut duo record – always present in spirit but rarely fully evoked. A sophisticated set of contemporary readings of old music is the result. Tres Luceros is a collaboration between Argentinian-Italian singer Sandra Rumolino and French guitarist and percussionist Kevin Seddiki. The duo's spacious and elegant but ultimately engrossing music is all the better for wearing its inspirations lightly. Seddiki has the touch and technique of a classical guitarist; Rumolino's voice morphs from fadista to jazz diva, frequently dazzling with its depth. Her staccato delivery on the milonga (pre-tango dance) ‘Silueta Porteña’ shows off her virtuosity. There is an obvious creative spark between these two artists. Four of the 12 tracks here are penned by the duo and the record could have benefitted from a greater proportion of new compositions. Each is a taut duet between voice and either guitar or percussion, from the Middle Eastern feel of the opening title-track to the percussive ‘Why Not Un Huayno?’, presumably in reference to the Andean folk style. There is still much to enjoy elsewhere on the album, such as a ravishing cover of Argentinian folk classic ‘Piedra y Camino’.