Tight!  That’s the best way to describe Lil’ Rick’s album.  Fans of wuk-up soca tunes will appreciate tracks like Keep Waiting, De Truck, and the Edwin Yearwood collab Friends.   All three are high-energy party tunes typically associated with Rick, and are an embodiment of the grassroots approach to making music which has made him popular.  There is, however, more to Rick than wuk-up music, and Spontaneous does a good job of framing Rick in a different light.  The slow-grind soca romance number My Girl, is one of the most impactful on the album, and Do Fuh Do, which has a vintage kaiso feel, holds its own in an era which is increasingly leaning more towards festival soca tracks.  Only Rick could have managed to pull it off with such success.  Til Morning Come is considerably slower than other numbers but is a ‘must-listen-to’ track.  Good wining material for all.

Loved 2K5 CropOver music? Then get this album!  While Party Monarch and Road March winner Colours (Nathalee & Shontelle f/ Zac) and Roll (Alison Hinds) alone make the album worth the buy, Damian Marvay’s hybrid tracks Enuff and So Complex, make the album stand out even more.  Marvay is a definite name to watch in the industry.  Some might classify Bobo’s Lion Pon De Road, as more of a conscious-vibe piece, but it justifies the ‘Revolution’ aspect of the album’s title, and forcibly broadens the current definition of soca.  This track, which found its own niche during the season, has the potential to be an international crossover hit. Quality work by all involved!  Soca Revolution also features tracks by Lorenzo, William Watts, Keisha Christian, Tony ‘Rebel’ Bailey, Khiomal and more.

Sane Insanity is a deliberate and acknowledged effort by the producers to create a non-soca album using soca as a base for its tracks.  The album presents a varied approach to its fusions.  While tracks by Wise Up and Eyes on You, both by Junglist, and Keep It Hott, by Bonnie Deveido, provide the ever-popular ragasoca and hip-hop fusions respectively, Sane Insanity does experiment with other genres.  Dameyon’s Lyrical Lover, in particular, is a quality production with an international flair, incorporating elements from soul, R&B and a sprinkle of hip-hop.  Other impressive tracks include Sane Insanity and the non-vocal techno-influenced Altered Reality.  The album is worth the listen, especially for persons who are interested in an altered version of soca.

The internationally recognised Tempted to Touch, the flagship track off 1 on 1, is firmly supported by other quality soca-based tracks including Do The Damn Thing, Helpless, What Happens in De Party, You Never Know and 1 on 1.  The album, Rupee’s first since signing with Atlantic Records, is a top-class production, and while the style which made Rupee popular is maintained throughout the album, it also presents a side of Rupee many may not yet be familiar with.  Such standout tracks include Steamroller, which features a Rupee chant, and Woman, a reflective tribute to the fairer sex.  Jump, the high-energy long-time party favourite is also included as a bonus track.