10. Machel Montano, “Fast Wine”

Arguably the best 2017 release from the undisputed King of Soca, Machel Montano’s “Fast Wine” was a gem that lasted throughout the Carnival seasons this year. Machel gave the ladies a groovy new tune to feel empowered by, offering a positive affirmation for women of color to chant with pride: “The sugar on your skin, the sweetest melanin.” The initial four-count beat drop invites us to an entrancing rhythm (produced by P.A.G.E. and soca heavy hitters Precision Productions) before Monk Monte effortlessly takes the reigns with an infectious lines about the way the sweetness of a woman’s wine can blow a man’s mind and leave him blindly in love with her waistline. If the masses could only understand the dynamics of wining culture, this could be a crossover hit like Charly Blacks’ “Party Animal” was in 2016. — GabSoul