Soca Non-arch: Ten Wikked Soca Tunes That Didn’t Win In 2011

Words by Rishi Bonneville—

The steady march of Trinidadian and Bajan soca music has, over the course of the last decade, had an unexpected consequence. Jamaican dancehall reggae has become more uptempo, and, on occasion, actually reinterpolates old calypso and soca hits into reggae tunes (“Buddy” by Charlie Blacks, for example, is a redux of “Turn it Around” by Barbados’ Square One). However it remains the case that in a typical dancehall sound system only one set, if any, can be devoted to the second most popular music in the Anglophone Caribbean. In these short sets, superhits like “Palance” by JW & Blaze, the TnT 2010 Power Soca Monarch winner, might ring off but little space remains for the numerous jams that didn’t top the island competitions. (Note that the competitions are divided into different sections–in Trinidad for example, there are three main categories: Power Soca Monarch, Groovy Soca Monarch, and Chutney Soca Monarch). Here we review ten of the top songs of 2011 from the various islands that did not get a title, but still caused a frenzy with die-hard soca lovers.

10. Mahendra Ramkellawan, “Dem A Watch Me” (Chutney Soca, Guyana)

This chutney anthem hit a nerve throughout the Caribbean, a region with a long-standing dislike of informers. The most popular song on the road for the Guyanese Mashramani festival, it is one of the rare tunes to cross over from the South American soca-loving country into the wider Caribbean and diaspora.

9. Exodus featuring Dolly Boy, “Limer” (Chutney Soca, Toronto)

Sweet-voiced Dolly Boy showed us another side of the city made famous by Young Money star Drake, penning a hypnotic ode to slackers in a chutney style. Watch our for this kid.

8. Maddzart, “The King Road” (Power Soca, St. Vincent and the Grenadines)

While Fireman Hooper won the St. Vincent Soca Monarch title, Maddzart had the most popular song on the road during carnival. An infectious jump-and-wine tune.

7. Lava Man, “Worst Than That” (Power Soca, Grenada)

Grenada has their own genre of Power Soca, known as Jab Jab. Here, the veteran Lava Man delivers a frenzy-inducing example of this poly-rhythmatic style.

6. Destra and Shal Marshall, “Feel to Wine” (Groovy Soca, Trinidad and Tobago)

It was hard to beat this sexy duet, revisiting an ancient concern: wining.

5. Biggie Irie, “Cyaan Be Over” (Groovy Soca, Barbados)

The extra-large Bajan crooner returns with a funky lament about the length of Crop Over. A must play towards the end of the night.

4. Cassi, “Town Ting” (Groovy Soca, Trinidad and Tobago)

This year’s surprise artist, Cassie bust out the gate with this catchy ode to Port Au Spain women. With no obvious double entendre in sight, Cassie released an adults-only version entitled “Tongue Ring,” which became the choice selection for mixtapes and late-night fetes.

3. Blaxx, “Carnival Jumbie” (Power Soca, Trinidad and Tobago)

Blaxx’s production can only be described as electro-retro, as futuristic sound effects are combined with a nostalgic take on the madness of carnival.

2. Machel Montano, “Gyal Bend Over” (Power Soca, Trinidad and Tobago)

Montano, the “Jay-Z of soca”, took top place in the Power Soca competition with “Advantage,” but this Pitbull-esque tune was the one that really turned up the party. Montano retains a unique ability to make raunchy music that still sounds like it could be played at family gatherings.

1. Benjai, “(As a) Trini” (Groovy Soca, Trinidad and Tobago)

Although Kes the Band topped with “Wotless,” this anthem extolling the neighborliness and dancing skills of Trinidadians really stuck, offering a folksy view of the island that differed from the rising crime and political strife that commanded newspaper headlines.

Honorebel Mention

Kerwin DuBois, “Heaven In You” (Groovy Soca, Trinidad and Tobago)

The uber-talented super producer returns with a track whose layered, intricate samples signals a nod to American hip-hop production. Manages to simultaneously exalt his woman and his rum, a seemingly impossible task.