Double Love is a play on ‘Down Low’, with the abbreviation ‘DL’ used by the Black and brown queer community to refer to a man who is still in the closet. As Cairo explains, “being Black and gay remains something of a cultural taboo, leaving effeminate gay men to date people who haven’t outwardly embraced their sexuality”. It’s a tension that Cairo has had to navigate his whole life. Themes of growth and self-love are woven through the EP - a result of the wisdom gained while learning to swim in these turbulent waters. In the words of Cairo: “this EP is a letter to all my ex DL lovers … and a love letter to all the girlies, gays, theys and thems!”

The EP opens with “Daffodils” - a ballad underpinned by glistening piano and Cairo’s falsetto vocals. The tune is unhurried and secure in its lyrical content and instrumental choices: a statement of intent for what follows. Track two, the EP namesake, turns the energy up with a rugged beat and a vocal delivery that expresses exhaustion with men who don’t own their sexuality. “Godspeed” speaks directly to an ex who lives a duplicitous life, before the EP winds down with the stunning “Lost The Meaning.” It blooms  into life with an optimistic piano motif that sits in direct opposition to lyrics portraying a crippling breakup. The clouds break, the lyrics turning from heartbroken to hopeful, as the song unfolds in a cloud of color and harmonies. It’s a powerful ending to a self-assured body of work.