Dominic is a lover of Soca and Trinidad and Tobago’s culture in all forms. He’s an Instructor in Communications at University of Trinidad and Tobago in San Fernando.
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Can you feel the beat! Oh, soca music how I love thee. This year, like last year, there was no shortage of fabulous music. The riddims, the beats, the phrasing, the concepts, the renditions were just satisfying to the soul. This unique genre continues to draw in the masses and make many happy. The cultural expression in music is so intriguing, I can’t get enough of it. So, without further ado, let me give my top five (seems like Mission Impossible) soca songs for 2019.
The “Bring It Back” Riddim featured several artistes, making my number five is Marge Blackman (Daughter of Soca Creator Ras Shorty I) and Turner – Soca to the World. The unique vocals of both artistes resonate in my soul. The song makes me feel to rock in the arms of my lover and dance the night away.
Just as I wanted to dance with my fifth selection, so too my fourth. The cultural influence on Soca, especially Spanish and French is far and few, but when it presents itself boy oh boy the combination is extraordinary. Soca King Machel Montano and Guadeloupe band Kassav collaborated on the Ole Ting Riddim. The song makes me feel to put on a Bellair skirt (Trinidad folk dance) and dance like nobody is looking. Dancè is my number four for the season.
The top three is really competitive for me, I had to struggle to pick these. Carnival time it’s always good to see familiar faces some you see just this time a year so Nadia Batson’s So Long, my number three, just embodied a Trini conversation with a longtime friend. Somethings only a Trini would be able to relate to.
My top two may be interchangeable but apart from a dynamic come back to the Soca stage, Swappi has always been a crowd pleaser. This season he was a package deal, a mega-hit that earned him his first title gave vibes in the fete, and boy did we Ramajay in de party. Part Start will be a classic Doi Doi!
Drum roll, please… Jammin by Machel on the 4th Quarter Riddim is my Number One and was everything and more for me. “Gyal ah wah yuh take off yuh shoes bun down the dance floor” and we all know once shoes come off it’s over. The song is sweet and makes you groove, just like a good Soca tune is supposed to make you feel.
So there you have it, my top five Soca songs for 2019… let the music play on……
