SumeRR Drops Debut Album, ‘Downs District’
Downs District is the first album by Jamaican/Spaniard artist SumeRR. Born as Tressan Michelle Barnett in Jamaica, she has been active in the music scene of her natal country since she was very young. This album represents her hard work outside Jamaica and a new voice in the reggae/dancehall scene.
Her style transmits the spirit of a young feminine artiste and brings to the table fresh air jumping from roots to dancehall, or from rap to dub.
Her first singles, dropped between 2011 and 2012, included Jessie James, Young Gal, SumeRR Time, and a collaboration with Warrior King, Do Not Need Another.
In 2016 her single Johnny, produced by Truck Back Records, gained her some recognition.
SumeRR moved to Spain and now is back with ‘Downs District’ under the production of Ras Kuko and the distribution by VPAL.
The singer switches into a perfect combination “Sweet reggae music/ We met the roots/ Reggae” to open the door of sounds in this her first work. SumeRR gives power to her roots and words and goes through the transition this album represents among the lyrics.
Her impressive single Head Up featuring the Jamaican artist Kumar, former vocalist of the band Raging Fyah, is an insight of reality. “Keep your head up, and keep walking/ Your are a lion” “I gotta keep my head up for da people that is dying”.
The singer flows from song to song with a love for rhythmic sounds and good vibrations. Each song comes up in the album with the consistency of someone who knows her music, and how to spread the message. Old School is a call to all that. “Give me the old school lova/ Give me the old school right” with winkles to boombastic.
It happens with the whole album that she puts her soul in the songs, with honesty and the same gloss she carries herself.
The strength of songs like Women Fyah breaking down the empowerment of women and their crucial role in society performed over a drum beating the tune. She drives us in a combination of sounds telling the story of her freshness, and her influences as an artist.
“We know we have to be the change/ Together we stronger / It is amazing” the singer says in ‘Dutty Babylon,’ and as she goes she keeps that way. The energy of her voice gives even more life to the album, which she closes slowly with raping in ‘Insanity’. “Music is like my drug/ the perfect coffee in a muggy”. Without no doubt, here is the result of her best.
SumeRR shared a preview on YouTube of the new album.
Stream Downs District below.