With Carnival 2024 set for early February, new music is being released at a feverish pace.

Many people seem to think its too early to have compiled a list of favs, but I’m operating under the premise of “why wait?”. While I am fully aware that my current favs may rank lower down the list as new music is released closer to the season, I can not ignore the gloriousness of the musical gems that are already peppering the airwaves and streaming services.

Here are a few of the projects that are in heavy rotation on my playlist.

PENTHOUSE, Voice

This was the first ‘new’ song that struck me deep and put me in a chokehold. It was love at first listen… the melodies, the masterful storytelling! This song is real and relatable. We’ve all been there.

Ah say brother man I good, I straight

Don’t feel for nobody in my space.

He say you aint liming long

Just pass through and show your face

And now ah drunk in the people place

Jammin!

DNA, Mical Teja

What’s not to love about this song? It speaks to the very essence of Trini Carnival. This is another one that had me hook, line and sinker almost instantly. Some people have said Teja may have released this song too early pre-season but nah, I don’t agree at all. This song is music magic and I for one believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that it has staying power and will still be ranked among the best of the season when we’re on the road Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

When every hand raise we become one race

Is only one stage

This is the birthplace

Look where we are

Greatest Carnival, so magical

Its a blessing straight from above…

BRING D THING, Destra and Peter Ram

The rhythm, the groove, the soul stirring sweetness…This song screams grown and sexy and brings to mind images of me and my man slow wining in the middle of somebody fete. Yes, we could slow wine at home but I look forward to the collective slow wine energy (it hits different, IYKYK) when I see Destra and Peter Ram perform this song for the first time. Fingers crossed hoping they’re among those scheduled to hit the stage at Soka In Moka on January 1.

PRIVATE AREA, Destra

Dear beloved Queen of Bacchanal, I for one am absolutely loving the grown and sexy theme of your releases so far. Looking forward to everything else you bless us with this season. While this one doesn’t move me the same way Bring D Thing does, it still ranks among my top picks of the crop of music released so far.

MARKET, Nadia Batson

This is just pure, unadulterated feel-good niceness. The front-runner in the race for 2024 ladies anthem so far.

All fruits dem ripe

Coconut it have jelly inside

And if yuh open yuh eye dem wide

You ah go see everything da yuh like

ONE AH DEM, Shal Marshall

Yes Shal. Yesssss, I’m one ah dem too!

Ah cant live without Carnival

I need rum, plenty woman and vibes can’t done

Give me room let me beat up the rum like…

SO WHAT, Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez

The Vi-queen keeps proving that she’s in a lane all her own. So what if ah wine on yuh man?!

This song is guaranteed to cause a scene (or several, lol). Every time I hear it I’m reminded of the backlash Chance The Rapper faced when images of him wining on a woman during Carnival in Jamaica surfaced earlier this year… is just ah wine! Anyway, y’all think Bunji will bless us with a response to this song on the same riddim? If he does my Carnival will be made for sure!

Some gyal does fight for man like property

Doh want him be alone with nobody

So best you keep him home, doh let we see

Cus when he come a road is all ah we

So what if ah wine on yuh man?

So what if ah give him a jam?

WELCOME TO SOCA, Preedy

Soca is the lifeblood of Carnival. This song on the Party Template riddim perfectly encapsulates what Soca is to the festival and what it means to many of us.

Who bring, who bring the vibes

Who bring the fete to life?

Soca!

STICK ON, Lyrikal

Dear Lyrikal, you my dear, have found the formula and it’s working fabulously. Don’t a change thing!

Oh meh gyal

Yuh bend down and shake that thing

Now I don’t know how to function

Oh meh gyal

yuh make me wah bend on meh knee and put a ring on yuh hand

Oh meh gyal

Why you only tease me up in this jam

Oh meh gyal

Ah feel like yuh put something all up in meh rice

LIFE AFTER FETE, Kerwin Dubois

Everyone who knows me knows that I’m a die hard Kerwin Dubois fan. He’s a musical genius who in my opinion doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. Life After Fete and Sugar Waist are among my absolute favs so far this season. For the record, if you think I’m biased I can’t confirm nor deny. I urge you to listen to both songs if you haven’t yet and let me know what you think in the comments. #KerwinDuboisForever

SUGAR WAIST, Kerwin Dubois

Now, before yall come for me, please note that this list features just some of the songs I’ve already fallen in love with and is in no way an indication of what’s good and what’s not. These are some of MY favs. I’ll be sharing more of these as the count down to Carnival continues.

Stay tuned and oh, be sure to share some of your favs in the comments.