Island Mas Riddim – Monstapiece Ent.

In 2012, when Crop Over and the broader soca scene were leaning hard into big, chant-ready carnival records, Monstapiece Ent. dropped Island Mas Riddim with a bright, push-forward feel and a cast that could work a stage any day of the season. The cut that really locks it in is Terri Lyons’ “Carry On, ” which has that rolling, infectious swing that keeps the chorus bouncing, but Alison Hinds’ “Girls Want More Iron” and General Degree’s “Soca Fire” keep the energy high and the pressure on. Blaxx, Edwin Yearwood, Mario and Fadda Fox all add their own touch, giving the riddim a proper party-road variety without losing its main pulse. Peter Coppin closes it out with the “Island Mas Rhythm” version, and that instrumental ties the whole package together with the kind of bassy backbone that made this one travel.