Tom Fire - Low Fidelity + Soom T - Free As A Bird (Chapter Two Records/Wagram)

Asked to describe his music, the French do-it-yourselfer prefers the term "bass music" and apparently that can just as well mean dubstep (instrumental opener 'Hoo Ver', 'Drive'), Daft Punk-style electro-pop ('Little Cake' featuring Mélissa Lavaux, 'Tomorrow') as electro-dancehall (the rousing 'Original') or electro-funk ('The Good Love' featuring Soom T). Most in the direction of a traditional reggae track are 'No Food' and 'Cool It', collaboration with Linval Thompson and Winston McAnuff (who recorded his part in the middle of the night after calling on his friend Tom Fire after a gig in Paris).
 
Tom Fire also produced Soom T's new album 'Free As A Bird', which like 'Low Fidelity' will leave reggae fanatics somewhat empty handed. To those familiar with Soom T's work, this will come as no surprise though. Earlier this year, already saw the release of 'Bullets Over Babylon', a largely hip-hop influenced collaboration with Monkey Marc. Just as on Tom Fire's 'Low Fidelity', you'll find a wide array of genres on 'Free As A Bird', ranging from funky soul (opener 'City Zoo', 'I Pray') over electro-pop ('Black Butterfly', 'Take A Walk' - which can also be found on 'Low Fidelity') to electro-disco ('Broken Robots', a title referencing to Daft Punk?) or drum & bass ('Hard Time'), with Soom T's fast raps as the only constant. Most surprising is closing and title track 'Free As A Bird', sounding like a nineteen fifties country ballad. Those desperate for a dash of reggae will have to content themselves with the enjoyable 'Politic Man'. 'Free As A Bird' is an excellent album nonetheless and might provide the Scottish-Indian underground princess with a one-way ticket to the mainstream market.