Soca Strings Riddim – Various Soca Artists

Back in 2007, when soca was leaning hard into big road-ready hooks and sharper, more percussive arrangements, Soca Strings Riddim kept the focus tight with just two cuts. Dawg E. Slaughter’s “Break Loose” comes in like a proper Carnival command, all movement and pressure, while Maximus Dan’s “Something Wicked” has that darker, cheekier edge he’s always carried so well, turning the riddim into something a little meaner and a little more playful at the same time. With only two tracks on the release, there’s no excess to get in the way of the groove, and that sparseness actually suits the title: the strings carry the whole thing with enough lift to keep it moving straight into fete season.