Passeport

From the moment Lassana Sané, aka Lass, gently launches into the opening track ‘Massamba’, the listener is aware of the unique timbre of his vocals. And the 11 songs in his second album allow the Senegalese artist the space to explore an admirable range and elasticity. Lass has patiently built up his musical career since he lit upon Lyon over 15 years ago, determined to forge a career around vocals moulded in his suburb near Dakar. Lass’ meeting with the French electronic duo Synapson helped propel his first hit, their single, ‘Souba’, in 2018 shortly followed by his eponymous first album in 2022. Now, he brings out an album with a luscious sound and production, including an ambitious AI-guided video for the title-track. The problem with Passeport is what surrounds Lass’ seductive vocals: a repetitive rhythm that makes it a dance-y but limited Afropop release. It’s almost too slick and lacks the musical innovation and pugnacity to accompany this raw talent. Yes, Lass has a voice, unquestionably. We look forward to him forging his own musical identity to join his vocal heroes which include Ismaël Lô and Omar Pene.