‘Soca Gold’ out July 31 - Top soca acts join the party

While 2020 has seen a halt to travel and carnivals due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the vibrant sounds of soca music cannot be dismissed. VP Records brings a solid collection of 17 soca tunes with this year’s Soca Gold, out July 31. The album’s lead track comes from Barbados’s own Jus D with Touch. The Bajan artiste was named as one of Complex’s artistes to watch in 2019.

The label will also present ‘The World’s Greatest Soca Party’, which will be presented live on Zoom and VP Records YouTube page on release day and feature live performances by featured artistes as well as renowned soca DJ’s from across the Caribbean and beyond, including DJ Quest (Antigua); Ding Dong (Trinidad); Big Red The DJ (Barbados); DJ Hersheys (St Lucia); Soca-holics (UK), and more. The event will be hosted by Da Bajan King and Redd of Reggae King Radio.

This year’s album features the hottest songs from the most recent Trinidad Carnival, including Iwer George, who was Trinidad Carnival 2020 Soca Monarch and Road March King with Wet Fete, featuring Viking Ding Dong. Also on the compilation is the Peoples Monarch and Road March King Barbados of 2019, Lead Pipe and Just Jay with Sometime. The Viking family Bunji Garlin with The Struggle, and Fay Ann Lyons with Dive also appear, as well as The Nookie Man Jamesy P with Doh Give Ah. The 17 tracks give listeners a taste of music from Trinidad, Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, Antigua and Venezuela.

“Soca Gold was established in 1997 and it keeps getting better,” said Edwin Howell, A&R at VP Records and programme director for Reggae King Radio. “We can’t wait to bring the album to life with the virtual event and to showcase this genre to new audiences,” he continued.