Summer Strum Riddim – Monk Music

Summer Strum Riddim lands as a bright, guitar-led soca set from Monk Music and Battalion Music, a pairing that points to the seasonal, road-ready side of the genre. The title says plenty: this is a strumming, breezy framework made for sunshine sessions, with enough bounce to keep it moving without losing its easygoing feel. The 2026 release packages three vocal cuts, keeping the juggling neat and focused on melody rather than volume.

Mela Caribe opens with Nuh Typical Ting, a performance that plays into the warmer, lighter side of the riddim. Keshav follows with Troublemaker, bringing a sharper edge and a little more mischief in the vocal delivery. Erphaan Alves closes with Play D Music, which feels like the most direct fit for the set’s party-first mood. His name remains one of the strongest in contemporary Trinidad soca, and he gives the riddim the kind of polished, stage-ready hook that can carry a carnival season rotation.

What ties the whole thing together is the production approach: clean, rhythmic guitar movement, a fluid soca pulse, and an arrangement that leaves room for each singer’s personality. It is less about heavy experimentation and more about giving the artists a lively, summery pocket to work in. As a riddim package, Summer Strum works because it keeps the concept simple and the energy consistent, with each cut adding a different shade to the same sunny frame.