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IN STOCK
ARTIST
TITLE
The Arch
FORMAT
CD

LABEL
CATALOG #
XRP 2004CD XRP 2004CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
11/20/2020

Soom T, a Scottish singer of Indian origin, grew up in a poor district of Glasgow. For her, music is an escape, and her brother made her discover activist music, in particular Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy, or Cypress Hill. After having campaigned alongside Y Network, a political group of young representatives from Glasgow neighborhoods aiming for change, Soom T decided to devote herself to music to denounce injustices and tell her daily struggles through militant and impactful lyrics. She first joined a hip-hop group, released a couple of bhangra songs (Indian popular music) and then discovered sound systems and reggae culture thanks to different crews and producers, including Bus in Germany, Alex Paterson of cult electronic music group The Orb in the UK, and later on Glasgow-based sound system Mungo's Hi-Fi. If rap remains her favorite mode of expression, Soom T lets herself be seduced by the reggae-dub scene in which she feels free. Her first performances in France are done alongside DJ Kunta with whom she will share, over the years, a common vision of music. She was quickly spotted by the public, notably thanks to her generous music and her incisive and inimitable flow. Soom T handles words with incredible ease and has always advocated sincerity in his words. She then became an essential artist in the underground reggae scene. After fifteen years of activity and almost a hundred titles to her credit, she finally released her first solo album Free As a Bird in 2015 on Wagram Music which shows the full extent of her talent and her musical spectrum. Followed by Ode To A Karrot (Khanti Records) in 2016 then Born Again in 2018 (Strong Foundation). For the recording of her new album, Soom T naturally turns to her friend DJ Kunta who will produce all the songs. Composed and recorded with the Lyon-based band Highly Seen, this new album entitled The Arch catches the essence of the music of the one we now call "the princess of raggamuffin". The musicians, mostly multi-instrumentalists, use modern, but also vintage techniques, giving their instrumental authentic flavors. Soom T, as usual, manages to deliver highly committed lyrics while retaining a certain lightness to it.