Cubano Riddim – N.M.G Music

Even before you get to the vocals, Cubano Riddim has that neat, Carnival-season feel N. M. G Music was leaning into here: a brisk soca framework with a tight, percussive pulse and a melody that keeps circling back like a road tune should. The EP landed in November 2019 with three cuts around the instrumental, and the lineup is compact but useful, with Fay-Ann Lyons’ “Wha Dey Know, ” Konshens’ “Reunion, ” and Holla Bak’s “Jammin” all sitting on the same footing. Fay-Ann brings the kind of sharp, clipped delivery that cuts cleanly through the rhythm, while Konshens eases into the track with a more laid-back melodic approach. N. M. G Music keeps the arrangement lean and danceable, leaving room for the bass and drums to do most of the talking, and the whole thing hangs on that quick, rolling tempo that never really lets up.