Masters of the atmospheric soundscape, Vancouver singer Evelyn Jane Mason and producer Jeremiah Klein first surfaced five years ago with a handful of dreamy R&B gems. Working under the name Evy Jane, the collaborators’ rich sound turned heads in the glutted landscape of off-kilter music emerging in the wake the Weeknd's success. After releasing their first EP, Closer, in 2014 to much critical acclaim, however, the duo suddenly went quiet—leaving their fans questioning the future of the group.

Two years later, Evy Jane has broken its silence with a DIY record that sounds anything but. With lush vocals, warm synths, and artfully reverbed beats, the group’s debut full-length album, Breaking, is both polished and professional. Beginning with the title track, the record is a delightful interplay between Mason’s jazz melodies and Klein’s Burial-esque rhythms. Merging together seamlessly, the producer’s 80’s keyboard swells blend with the singer’s breathy vocals, layering into shifting patterns and textures.  

Breaking is characterized by its versatility. The record’s first single, “Lights”, is driven by bowed and pizzicato strings mixed with descending synth chords—proof that, in Evy Jane’s hands, contemporary R&B can pack a punch without drum accompaniment. Juxtaposing that production with the record’s next track, “Dolphin Freestyle”, however, unveils the group’s adaptability. Coasting along with no melodic input aside from Mason’s hypnotic and harmonized vocals, the song relies on its beat.

While the album has a tendency to reach towards the experimental, it proudly retains elements of mainstream pop. “Lover’s Soul” showcases the group at its best, trading catchy vocal melodies with hushed synth lines, while “The Half You Hide” ups the tempo of the record with live guitar improvisation and moody chords.

“This album represents a form of me I had been trying to set free,” says Mason. “It is my ‘Vancouver’ album. It’s rainstorm music—a great soundtrack for being emo and walking around in the rain under an umbrella. I reference nature and technology, identity and oblivion; the micro and macro of shape-shifting love. It is not a debut in my mind, but a work that brings me closer toward embodying my dreams rather than my fears.”

Easily fulfilling the talented duo’s potential, Breaking is the logical evolution of Evy Jane’s work: a more mature, mellowed, and psychedelic venture into a genre that continues to innovate.

Breaking is out on King Deluxe records on Friday (October 21)

Follow Kate Wilson on Twitter @KateWilsonSays