Devi Reed - Éruption De L'être (Khanti Records/Pias)

While his previous albums occasionally featured English lyrics, 'Éruption De L'être' sees Reed fully embracing the French language. Devi Reed: "This is my first album entirely in French, and that was definitely a deliberate choice for this project. It came at a point in my life where I wanted to share something more personal, more intimate. As for the themes explored, I believe they are things everyone can relate to: our mothers, a romantic relationship, celebrating life, or the feeling of being misunderstood. I wrote it by stirring up the magma within me. Hence the title, 'Éruption De L'être' ("eruption of the being")."

The Cuban influences in 'Incompris', featuring La Dame Blanche (instantly reminiscent of the work of Orishas), briefly harken back to Devi's debut album 'Ragga Libre'. However, on 'Éruption De L'être', he leans heavily into hip-hop, as demonstrated by tracks like the lightning-fast 'Le Plus Risqué', morphing into reggae somewhere halfway through, 'Douce Nuit D'été' and closing track 'Se Revoir'.  Aside from the previously mentioned 'Le Plus Risqué', the only track on the album with a true reggae vibe is 'Célébrer'.

The interlude 'Eruption De Lettres' is a clever wordplay on the album's title and marks Reed's first foray into slam poetry: "This is the first time I've ventured into this. The idea was to bring a slightly different universe into this album, and I wanted to include an interlude. I considered placing it at the beginning of the project but ultimately decided against it. The soundscape is somewhat molten, volcanic, and bubbling. I write about creating an album, the time it takes, the energy invested, and all that it represents. You'll notice that in the interlude, it's titled 'Éruption De Lettres', while the cover says 'Éruption De L'Être', a play on words. I poured everything I had inside me into words. This project is also my first album in French, so I played more with language. You can see it in the artwork as well, with the volcano spewing out letters."

We get more wordplay in the heartfelt tribute 'Maman (Effet Mère)', where Reed initially reflects on the profound impact a mother can have on a child's upbringing, while also playing with the French term éphémère, meaning "fleeting" or "transient": "It's a tribute to my mom and to mothers around the world. Throughout the song, I talk about the impact of upbringing - the effect a mother has - which can deeply shape a child. Toward the end, I address those who have lost a loved one, like a mother or father, too soon. It happened to me with my father. So, there's this dual meaning: the effect of a mother, as mentioned at the beginning, and the idea of life's fragility, where we can lose someone dear at any moment."

With the catchy 'Bien Plus Que Ça', Reed critiques both our collective and his own dependence on social media and the importance we place on others' opinions (read: "likes"): "I see it with the new generation. I notice the real addiction to social media and its impact on teenagers. Because of these platforms and the number of likes they get, people can lose self-confidence, which can affect their mental health. The idea behind this track is to remind us that sometimes we need to take a break from our phones. Life is so much more than that, it's 'Bien Plus Que Ça'!"

For a touch of humour, Reed shares a light-hearted anecdote in the ganja-themed 'Je Fly': "I recount a story from my time in Essaouira—a little anecdote with a humorous twist. I arrived there looking for a nice hotel I'd heard about. Someone showed me where it was and started rolling a joint. For the record, I hadn't smoked in years. I took two puffs and got completely high. I went up to the hotel terrace and started writing this song. Later, I headed down to the souk; it was during Ramadan, and I thought I'd grab some Moroccan pastries to steady myself and come back down to earth. So, I enjoyed the pastries and felt better. On my way back, I ran into the same guy outside the hotel, and he rolled another joint. We were on the terrace again, and that's when I finished writing the song."

'Éruption De L'être' packs plenty to impress but will likely appeal more to fans of quality hip-hop than dedicated reggae enthusiasts.