Ramen Riddim – Various Artists

The Ramen Riddim arrives with that sharp, late-carnival Soca energy where the jokes come quick and the bass keeps the floor moving, and the strongest cut here is Boyzie’s “Drink (Party Up), ” a grin-and-raise-your-glass tune that sits nicely beside Q-Pid’s “Haffi Cum Back” and Superman HD’s “Cheaters Confession. ” Produced by Courtney “Curty” Louis for Dutch Productions/Stratosphere Music, the riddim has a clean, punchy island bounce that lets the voices carry the personality while the instrumental stays tight underneath them. D’Sean and Mz Famous close things out on “Take It Down, ” keeping the tracklist short and focused rather than overstuffed, and that economy suits a release that’s all about a few memorable hooks landing on the same rhythm.