Words by Large Up Crew–
With soca steadily gaining momentum on the international music scene, and its following growing steadily, sub-genres and other interpretations of the culture are inevitably emerging from the most unexpected places. One such place is in the music of St. Louis, Missouri native Mr. One Hundred (a/k/a Paul B Davis), the newest act on the Mixpak Records roster.
His first EP for Mixpak, Palm Tree Destruction, mobilizes the sounds of Machel Montano, Fay-Ann Lyons and Bunji Garlin into the realm of techno music, thanks to some dramatically-increased tempos, while managing to maintain a sound rooted in soca and the Caribbean.
Although a new name to us, Mr. One Hundred is something of a dance-music veteran, having made waves in St. Louis, Detroit and Chicago before relocating to London. There he was exposed to West Indian culture, developing an interest in soca that’s led him to incorporate it into his own productions.
Palm Tree Destruction is a carefully-crafted, intricate piece of work that manipulates the malleability of soca music but is sure to elicit the same spirited reaction from Trinis and socaphiles. Stream below, and sample the many possibilities.