8. Bunji Garlin, “Take Over Town”
Bunji Garlin’s “Take Over Town” didn’t make a huge mark at Trinidad Carnival, but this uniquely-paced track has picked up fans like St. Thomas/USVI pop stars R. City, who added their touch to this cross-island remix. Produced by St. Vincent’s Stadic, one of the most consistently creative soca producers at the moment, “Take Over Town” fuses a driving dance melody with some heavy drumming from legendary Trinidadian drum group, the Laventille Rhythm Section. But it’s Bunji Garlin’s vocals, which describe Carnival with the drama of an Ancient poet narrating a Roman siege, that make “Take Over Town” truly epic. — Jesse Serwer