For those who think all reggae sounds the same, soca offers a sobering contrast: compared to soca, reggae is a kaleidoscope of rhythmic diversity. That's not to say that there's anything the matter with soca; it's just that most listeners might not be able to handle more than a few tracks at a time. The basic rhythm is a bit like house music, with a steady one-two-three-four pulse in the bass drum, but its distinctive feature is an accent on the "and" of the second beat, a highly unusual syncopation that makes you start to wiggle and twitch almost against your will. This fine collection of modern soca avoids tedium by varying the tempo and mood -- for every two or three up-tempo ravers like "Whip Wine" by Super Fabulous or Ghetto Flex's "De Official Bum Bum Song," there's a midtempo offering like "Jamaican Lover" by
Tanya Stephens and Ghetto Flex or the lovely "Harmony" by H2O Phlo. That last one draws heavily on the calypso vocal tradition; since "soca" comes from the term "soul-calypso," that's no big surprise. Overall, this disc makes a fine overview of the modern soca scene (not to mention a great party record). ~ Rick Anderson