For the uninitiated: Know that Trinidad's Machel Montano is the longstanding king of soca music. For those in the know: His new album, Monk Monté, was timed to coincide with the recent Trinidad Carnival 2015 and delivers the appropriate level of bacchanalian sounds and vibes.
The soca hit-maker doesn't disappoint with this 12-track effort. Single "Like Ah Boss" was named most popular song during the 2015 Carnival festivities and for good reason — the sweaty party-starter is an inspired mix of old school calypso with new school soca sensibilities. Tracks like "Remedy" and "Pop Ah Bottle" feel like one-dimensional melodies on the surface, but there is a deeper level of danceable mastery at play. At this point, Montano understands how to move a soca crowd, and there isn't a weak track on the high-tempo project. This album, from one of the genre greats, suggests that Montano won't fall off any time soon.
(Mad Bull Music)The soca hit-maker doesn't disappoint with this 12-track effort. Single "Like Ah Boss" was named most popular song during the 2015 Carnival festivities and for good reason — the sweaty party-starter is an inspired mix of old school calypso with new school soca sensibilities. Tracks like "Remedy" and "Pop Ah Bottle" feel like one-dimensional melodies on the surface, but there is a deeper level of danceable mastery at play. At this point, Montano understands how to move a soca crowd, and there isn't a weak track on the high-tempo project. This album, from one of the genre greats, suggests that Montano won't fall off any time soon.