ZERO-G-SOUNDS - REBEL SOCA : When The Time Comes

Rebel Soca - When The Time Comes

Soca? Isn´t that the ultimate party music? If you close your eyes, you may see a dancefloor teeming with revelers who, hands in the air, gyrate ecstatically to the liquid pulse generated by a throbbing, hypnotic bass and on-the-four bass drum countered with off-center percussion accents. Racheting rhythm guitar and stabbing horns supercharge the beat even further, making hip-shaking, belly-rolling, waist-winding almost an involuntary act. But there is even more...

Literally, the term "soca" abbreviates "soul calypso" and came into currency during the 1970´s when calypso was streamlined in response to the disco-dance juggernaut spreading over the world. Calypso, of course, has had a long and venerable history in the Caribbean, with variants in nearly all English-speaking and some French-speaking islands. One can easily trace its origins to the 18th century but its roots stretch back to Africa. In many West African societies singers and poets have traditionaly been not only historians but also mouthpieces for the people. They speak, obliquely, through satire and parables and commentary on everyday events, to the leaders, who ignore such criticism and advice at their peril. In contrast to the smiling, tourist-pleasing image propaged during the 50s and 60s, the business of being a calypsonian was serious business. Although soca lyrics tend to be "party-hearty" celebrations of love and life, a significant percentage deal with more serious issues; calypso´s tradition of social commentary remains vital with today´s "Rebel Soca". A minority of culturally-conscious soca artist have adopted a pan-african perspecitve, incorporating elements of reggae, african music and other caribbean styles into their soca. "Rebel Soca" brings together some of the finest conscious soca tracks of the 70s and 80s which combine unbeatable dance rhythms and some of the sharpest political lyrics in world pop. Often their lyrics are confrontatinal, politically-oriented commentary - a focus for the concerns of oppressed people.

Tracklist:

Side One

Afrika is Burning – Safi Abdullah

Spring Garden in Fire – Ras Iley

What About – Baron

Ring De Bell – Bro Resistance

Side Two

Hard Hard Hard – Black Stalin

When De Time Comes – Nelson

Can’t Find Me Brother – Red Plastic Bag

War Mongers – Johnny King

I first came across ’soca’ from my oldest friend Leon who had picked up an awful lot of musical vibe from going to Trinidad carnival one particular year, ages ago now and he came back with some platters we just couldn’t stop listening to . . . . . we continued the journey of calypso, mento, rock steady, ska, reggae and now soca! From Trinidad and Tobago to Jamaica . . . . . 

Awesome and something about shaking what’s yours!

Ras Iley -Inez classic 1993