Dive deeper into Caribbean music and culture at Sokah2Soca—your go-to source for Soca, Calypso, and Carnival coverage. First published on Sokah2Soca, now streaming live via Island Vybe Radio.
The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival season has always been a laboratory for musical innovation, but Team Foxx out of Saint Lucia may have just broken new ground. Their latest release, the SLS Riddim, was inspired by the pulsating energy of the Laventille Riddim Section, where Motto reportedly spent time soaking in the vibe before translating it into music. The riddim features Blaka Dan, Salty, M1, and Motto, each delivering their own brand of soca fire.
What makes this project truly remarkable, however, is Motto’s contribution titled “The Chutney Melody.” While soca and chutney have long existed as parallel subgenres, with occasional crossovers—such as Ajala’s “So Nanny” (Ragga Soca reworked into a chutney version)—this feels different. Instead of creating a separate chutney track or remix, Motto has embedded East Indian lyrical elements directly into a soca riddim that otherwise carries three conventional soca songs. It’s not a remix, not a rework, but a deliberate fusion within the same riddim framework.
Talk about breaking barriers and bridging the music. This is fascinating since Lord Shorty's goal was to unite the East Indian and African nationalities through the creation of his music... Sokah! Chutney soca has historically been treated as a distinct lane, often released on its own riddims or as chutney-specific projects. This album isn't a case of just giving one of the tracks a chutney title; it is more than that. By incorporating “The Chutney Melody” and weaving Indian vocals into the riddim, Motto has blurred the lines between chutney and soca in a way that feels fresh and unprecedented. Interestingly, the production notes do not list the female voice delivering the Indian lyrics, which remains uncredited, adding a layer of mystery to the release. One has to wonder if it is a mystery or if AI was used here.
For Sokah2Soca, this moment is worth spotlighting. It’s not just another Carnival riddim—it’s a cultural experiment that could signal new directions for soca’s evolution. If soca is synonymous with rhythm, energy, and inclusivity, then the bold incorporation of chutney elements into a mainstream riddim could be remembered as a pivotal moment, and we were here to highlight this fact!
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Artist: Teamfoxx
Title: The Chutney Melody
Riddim: SLS Riddim
Produced by Lashley Motto Winter - Teamfoxx
Written by Teamfoxx
Mix and mastered by Lashley Motto Winter - Teamfoxx
Origin: Saint Lucia/Trinidad
Genre: Soca (Laventille Drumming Riddim) ?
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