Two Words, One Answer.
Machel Montano
 D'Soca Zone 8th Fete $13.98 Regardless of exactly where you might be on the planet at this time, if you listen REALLY closely you can probably hear someone somewhere getting ready for Carnival. If you are a fan of soca music and have been paying the slightest bit of attention over the past year or so to the vibes then you have been having a WONDERFUL time enjoying some truly excellent vibes. This year, Carnival should be one of the biggest in recent years, if for no other reason than the fact that Carnival music, Soca, has been absolutely top notch over the past year (and you can make the case for two years actually). For those of us who actually pay attention to the music on the album side, we have seen truly an abundance of talent releasing pieces internationally, as well as locally here in the Caribbean. Just in the last year alone we've seen international releases from the likes of Soca superstars, Bunji Garlin, Alison Hinds and Machel Montano, while holding up the local Caribbean scene with ALBUMS, has been the likes of Shurwayne Winchester, Dawg-E-Slaughter, El-A-Kru, Nadia Batson and Krosfyah (and Bunji again recently). Soca, however, much like its older cousin Dancehall, is a music which is in no way built for albums, and EXPLODING all over the charts with singles has been x-amount of elite Soca artists as well as a very strong contingent of younger artists now reaching (some with great successes) the upper echelon. Perhaps it was because I was paying much greater attention than I typically do during Soca's `off-season' but there has been some absolutely spectacular vibes being pushed forth recently making this Carnival, for me personally (and for millions of others all over the Caribbean I'm sure). Another very strong and useful trend which has continued has been the steady stream of artists from outside of Trinidad, reaching the highest level of the music. Traditionally, Trinidad, the undisputed Home of Soca music, has dominated the vibes with an iron fist. While it still is the home of the vibes undoubtedly, we are seeing certain areas starting to REALLY step the levels up (biggup St. Vincy!) in various soca stations throughout the Caribbean and even extending all the way to States and the UK, with various hotbeds of talent in those countries (alongside the more traditionally soca heavy Toronto in Canado) producing artists of note as well. Trinidad, however, remains the King of them all, and were there any doubt of which Carnival is coming, of course it's Trinidad's which isn't location specific in its title, every other Carnival is Carnival from that island. Trinidad Carnival IS Carnival. If you've yet to be bitten by the soca bug (then you've been standing in the wrong line over the last year) then maybe you haven't notice the vibes international continuance to spread and spread. Without a doubt one of the biggest international influences on this has been VP Records. The label, which is the single biggest label in the world focusing SOLELY on music of the Caribbean has traditionally been known for the reggae side. And with its current roster of official artists appearing as a virtual `whose-who' of modern reggae and dancehall (including Capleton, Bounty Killer, and extended deals with Sean Paul, Elephant Man and dancehall ace Beenie Man), VP has made itself one of the very few names capable of helping to shape the overall face of modern reggae music. Howeve, a fact which may not be as well known is the label's overall commitment to soca music, particularly recent. Last year, VP signed up reigning soca ace Bunji Garlin and released Global in May, the Trinidad native's second album with the label (after 2002's Revelation). The label has also stayed active in soca releasing albums for soca artists such as two for Treason (3 Suns), Edwin Year wood (another official VP artist) and Jamaica's most noteworthy Carnival group of all time, the legendary Byron Lee & The Aragonites (I can't even count how many albums from VP Lee has released). VP is also the home of the genre's biggest compilation. Soca Gold is annually the biggest selling compilation of pure soca in the world. In recent years, the label has upped the promotion for the album and even added a DVD along with the cd. Also, VP has a running series, Soca 101, which captures some of the older soca classics, AND (as if that weren't enough), they also have the D'Soca Zone series. D'Soca Zone is almost an appetizer for the Soca Gold album (it typically is released in the holiday months later in the year or at the beginning of the next, where the Soca Gold album will come at late spring/early summer), but in recent years has even evolved in itself. The last time this series reached the road was actually 2006 with the 7th Flag Up (there were actually two installments, The 7th Flag Up and the 6th Wukk Up released in 2006), it did so as probably the best volume of the series altogether. The piece immediately preceding it that same year, 6th Wukk Up, was also very impressive, registering with a more smooth and laid back soca vibes, while still giving that occasional big, road marching style. This year we once again receive the D'Soca Zone series with much anticipation, due in no small part to the absolutely wonderful year the vibes has been having that I mentioned, but also for a bit of an update. Inevitably, D'Soca Zone albums ALWAYS introduce new faces (even if you've been paying good attention) to the mix and do so while combining A FEW tried and trusted names and tunes in the same mix. The result is usually a big vibes! And also one which, much like Soca Gold, gives the soca head and newer fans alike something to keep a big vibes to, leading up to the fte! Quickly, if you've never actually listened to soca for any great length of time outside of Kevin Lyttle or Rupee a couple of years back (both VERY strong artists), all you really need to know about it is that it is BY FAR the most fun and intense form of music on the planet and one which does transfer surprisingly well to an album. This year's (first) installment of D'Soca Zone, 8th Fte, keeps the strong form of the previous two editions going strong and besides the big tunes currently playing now, it also does a very good job of pushing some lesser known but very nice tracks as well and recapping some of the hits of the past year. It also has a much more toned back vibe from last the 7th Flag Up, which boasted El-A-Kru's insane Expose. The 8th Fte gets going with Soca poster boy Bajan Edwin Yearwood of Krosfyah with his EXCELLENT Where Will You Be? (I know where I'll be) The type of soca I like is the BIG sounding vibrant marching style of vibes as opposed to the more laid back `Popso' style, however, Where Will You Be is a superb example of a tune which absolutely encompasses BOTH of those vibes equally. Where Will You Be probably isn't the best choice for an opener here (the prime candidate for best opener here comes not too far away at track #3), because it blends styles so wonderfully, it probably would have been best in the middle, but you can't complain really. The tune is rather easily one of the best pieces this Fte has to offer! Next up is St. Vincy's own current hit maker Jamesy P with his very big effort, Bashment Freaks. The tune was also featured on his current riding long player, Work of Art (definitely check out that album as well). Jamesy P makes a nice return here as he was also feature, alongside Skarpyon (and actually a nice bit of St. Vincy artists who all but ran the 7th Flag Up, including Lyttle, Maddzart and Mystik Vibration) on the previous hit Leave Me Alone (also on Work of Art). Bashment Freaks isn't far behind the vibes either and a very nice piece opening this album, it has much more of a consistent bigger sound than Where Will You Be, but it still keeps a level vibes throughout the solid track. Up third and finishing out the opening here is by far what is the most celebrated track on the album altogether (although, curiously, I'm not calling it my favourite tune here, due largely to one of the later tracks being so ridiculous, that I love it!) the brilliant and powerfully popular Go Down Low from yet another Vincentian, St. Vincy daughter Zoelah. Go Down Low has been one of the most popular Soca tracks over the past year, reigning with tracks like Machel Montano's Jumbie and I Dare You from Destra (to whom young Zoelah is most oft-compared). The tune itself is pretty standard fare in terms of subject matter and actual song, but it has star quality written all over it and FULLY expect to see Zoelah's name all over the place in the future as one of the artists capable of taking soca to the next level, Go Down Low was HUGE (and it begins the 'downward' fascination on the album, more on that in a bit). The best tune on the 8th Fte however, comes directly in the center of the album, with eight tracks on either side. Hailing from (you guessed it) St. Vincy is crazy artist Problem Child who gives a SERIOUS problem with the big addictive vibes that is Galarytis. The tune is for all galarytis sufferers so lucky to hear it (myself included). It's the type of song which definitely individualizes soca from all other forms of music. You could not take the buildup and concept of the song and apply it to any other genre and have it work. As soca, however, it is absolute GENIUS and follows nicely from his vibes from last year with Party Animal (which took St. Vincy Road March). Buffering Galarytis from the second half of the album is Grenadian band Ignition alongside Trini lyrics MACHINE Ms Alysha with the ultra smooth I Know Carnival, definitely one of the bigger tunes on the album and always an EXPERIENCE to listen to Ms Alysha who is almost like a female version of Bunji Garlin trying to fit as many words possible in as little space as possible, she's in typically impressive form her and looking forward to an album from Ms Alysha in `08 definitely. Also HAVE to mention close to the center of the album the HUGE vibes of Can't Wait from Lil Rick from out of Barbados. As I mentioned, I'm more partial to the bigger sounding Soca vibes and on the 8th Fte, Can't Wait is probably the height of the intensity. It is also an example of the album introducing (at least to me) younger artists, as Rick had yet to make it on my radars, now, I'll be sure to look for releases after the TRULY wicked Can't Wait. Two more familiar names tune in later on with Over & Over and Water, from Trini Peter C. and Grenada's own reigning road march winner Berbice, respectively. Over & Over is a big vibes definitely and having heard the tune briefly prior to the album, I was definitely happy to see it included. Berbice's Water was his other big tune from the season which was led by his absolutely MAMMOTH Traffic (which was the song which won Grenada Road March). Water has more of an old school story telling vibes to it, but again, it's the type of tune that works completely in soca music. I'd be doing you a disservice if I were to go through this entire review and NOT mention the seemingly blind (and ODD) obsession of `DOWN' of The 8th Fte. From Zoelah's signature Go Down Low, fellow Vincy native Bomani immediately follows with his Ah Not Going (Down There Tonight); later New York based Trini chimes in with her fun Down Low and lastly, HILARIOUSLY perhaps trumping them all is Grenadian Super P, who takes the overall concept to an unabashed and unashamed level rarely seen! Definitely give credit to Super P for, if nothing else, taking a chance and taking the vibes to a different place (which I'm sure the ladies will appreciate). And I have to mention Claudette Peters repping Antigua checking in with her Don't Mess With Me, I might have preferred her big tune Go Claudette, but Don't Mess With Me is well solid and a nice addition. And I ALWAYS choose a song that I wish was on a soca compilation, this time around, would have loved to see the underrated Shadowman alongside Terry Seals representing St. Maarten with Caribbean Cruise. Overall, if you, like me, are heading down to TnT this season, and are suffering from bad anticipation spells, then maybe you should pick up the 8th Fte. This album is becoming one of the more dependable compilations of modern soca on an international level (perhaps it can develop into a soca version of VP's other reggae compilation, Strictly the Best). Of course, as they did last year, taking the star of the show is St. Vincy, but just on an overall total vibes, soca as a whole has been very impressive this year. D'Soca Zone: 8th Fte is just the first bump, but it's a pretty big one and would look nice in new and older collections alike. And let the ride begin!  Any Minute Now $8.99 Probably one of the most gifted international artists around with spectacular potential to cross over. Soca at it's best. |
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