With its driving, percussion-based rhythm,
soca music guarantees instant partying, which is its main purpose.
Soca Gold 2001 goes one step further and transports listeners to the revelry of Trinidad's Carnival, with this strong compilation of the year's carnival hits. Most of the tunes exude the very best of what makes Carnival: joy, energetic spirit, and a latent naughtiness. From the opener,
"Jump," an inventive take on
the Isley Brothers'
rock classic
"Twist and Shout," to the joyously contagious
dance rhythms of
Krosfyah's
"Forkin'," to the seductive groove of
Traffic's
"Hickey," this is a top-notch collection on every level. Even if all of the tunes weren't winners,
Soca Gold 2001 would still be a must-have just for the legendary
Super Blue's uproarious
"Spirit to Wave." ~ Rosalind Cummings-Yeates