Drama Riddim – Various Artists

Coming out of the 2010 soca season, Drama Riddim keeps the focus tight with just three cuts, and that lean format lets the groove do the talking. Bomani’s “On De Road” is the road-march anchor, Galanaire’s “When I Coming” leans into the teasing, back-and-forth spirit that fuels carnival chatter, and Jamesy P’s “Things Nice” feels like the most polished of the bunch, riding the rhythm with that easy, singalong bounce he’s known for. The production is bright and percussive, with a quick-stepping pulse and enough bass to keep the floor moving without getting too heavy. In a year when soca riddims were multiplying fast, Drama sat nicely in that early-2010 run of compact, DJ-friendly projects built for the road and the fetes.