Newnew Riddim – G-Islands

Coming out of the 2013 French Caribbean soca circuit, Newnew Riddim finds G-Islands pairing a bright, chant-friendly groove with a busy cast of singers and deejays, many working in Creole-inflected patois that keeps the whole thing rooted in the scene. The sequence moves like a proper party set, with cuts such as Politik Nai’s “Bel lavi, ” Elji and La Matrak’s “Fraka, ” Little Nnay’s “We A Bun It, ” and Saa’Turn’s “Fou” pushing the energy in quick bursts rather than lingering too long. There’s also an instrumental version circulating separately, which gives a clearer view of the riddim’s lean, percussive pulse and the way the arrangement leaves room for each voice to jab through. The set was issued in August 2013 on Genius-Islands and runs 13 tracks.