No Carnival in 2021 but a whole bag of Trinidad Soca

Carnival would be at the highest peak at the time I’m writing this. Due to the pandemic not much happening when it comes to Carnival, in Trinidad or elsewhere. One could enjoy some Zoom fetes but let’s be honest with each other, that’s not the right place for the true bacchanalists. Nevertheless, we want to continue the good tradition on tropicalbass.com and serve some of the hottest Soca jams for the season. Yes, there’re plenty of new tracks that came out over the last few weeks for the season. Not all of them come with a fancy video, but a tune is a tune! Let’s go:

 

Farmer Nappy – Backyard Jam

Winner of this year’s (virtual) International Soca Monarch competition.

 

Machel Montano – High Life

MM puts some tape in the cassette player and enjoys life on this groovy Soca – on the Beach Chair Riddim.

 

Machel Montano – Long Time Refix

I definitely could use a good fete right now! Surely could do with a good fete right now!

 

Kerwin Du Bois x Destra – Stress Reliever

Another groovy jam reminds us to enjoy life. Recorded on the Candy Shack Riddim by Statik and Jonny Blaze.

 

Olatunji – Drunk History

No Carnival without a good share of drinking songs. Here’s my favorite for 2021 – “last year alcohol nearly killed me”. Came second at the Soca Monarch competition.

 

Fadda Fox – Bring ah bottle

Talking about drinking tunes, here’s another slammer by Fadda Fox on the 640 Riddim.

 

Kes feat Etienne Charles & Laventille Riddim Section

As a huge fan of Laventille Riddim Section and iron bands in general, I’d love to share this heavy tune feat. Kes and Etienne Charles.

 

MX Prime – Mad City (Powered by Ultimate Rejects)

If – and just imagine that for a second – if there would be a regular carnival on the road in Port of Spain, this would for sure the tune we’d hear on every corner, truck and bar! Tuuuuune!

 

Bunji Garlin – All house is Road

Carnival on the road? Overrated – the road is not a place, it’s a mindset, right? At least this is what I keep saying to myself. “This year all house is road” – on the 8-Bit Riddim.

 

As an outro to this article I’ll throw in more ridddummm by Laventille Riddim Section. Recorded at the Digicel TOGETHER show sans audience. Switch off your zoom meeting, grab a glas of rum and move along to the beat. #CarnivalLivesOn

 

Photo credit: 3Canal J’ouvert in POS by the Newsday