SumeRR – RED

Her soulful voice has a blues and jazz quality, while her writing shows sharpness and attitude. Besides that there’s also plenty of energy in her delivery. The album was made with Miami-based producer EchoSlim, who reggae fans may recognise from his work on Koffee’s Grammy-winning Rapture. Together, they’ve built a 15-track set that reaches deep into Jamaica’s musical history while still looking forward.

Contributions come from Bunny Lee & The Aggrovators, Binnie Smalls, DJ Rob Flow and Nigerian composer and producer Dave Azi. Musically, RED moves from rocksteady and reggae to dancehall and dub. That kind of variety can be risky, but here it mostly works.

The opening pair sets the tone nicely. Tun Up Di Sound comes in strong, followed by the beautifully delivered Shine Eyed Gyal. Both tracks use Aggrovators riddims from the vaults of the late Bunny “Striker” Lee, giving SumeRR’s modern delivery a direct connection to 1970s Jamaican music. Then we get Red Wine and Moonlight Palace, two romantic tracks with a more modern reggae feel. After that, SumeRR switches gears completely. RAW, RIDE, Buss Pipe and Desert Sun bring a heavier, more dancehall-oriented energy. RIDE, Buss Pipe and Desert Sun should work nicely in a dance, while RAW is much more abrasive. That one could easily split opinion.

And that’s part of what makes RED interesting. SumeRR doesn’t spend the whole album trying to please everyone. Survivor slows things down again, while Pulse is a more crossover-minded track that opens the door to listeners beyond the reggae and dancehall audience. Then she goes straight back to reggae with Bleeding, a powerful performance over The Aggrovators’ Declaration Of Rights riddim. But the real emotional centre of the album may be Letter To Sparta. It’s a beautiful, heartfelt song and one of those moments where SumeRR’s songwriting really shines. Lost Butterfly and Sirena continue to explore different sounds, before New World brings everything to a close. The final track has an immediate warmth to it and leaves you with a genuinely good feeling.

There’s no question that RED is a diverse album. But diversity only becomes a problem when an artist loses sight of who they are. SumeRR doesn’t. Even when the music shifts from vintage reggae to modern dancehall, or something more international, her voice remains the common thread.

That’s a strong foundation for an artist still making her mark. RED may not appeal equally to every listener, but SumeRR clearly has the talent, confidence and personality to go a long way.