Ghislain Poirier: Soca Sound System

The first in a planned series of 3 EPs culminating in a full-length Running High due at the end of the year, Soca Sound System is Ghislain Poirier’s take on soca. The Canadian DJ is well-known to readers of Discobelle and other dance-oriented music blogs, and is gaining a larger club following for his efficient electro, which is built for the club but often brings together the rhythms and menace of hip-hop. Here, Poirier shows just enough respect for his chosen genre — the tunes use soca as a clear take-off, but dress it up in shimmering electro with synths galore. The influence of Diplo is heavy here — you half expect MC Zulu to shoud “Mad Decent” over the stomping Carribean-drum track “Immigrant Visa” — and like that prominent producer, Poirier treads a fine line between weaving together influences and frank cannibalism. Still, “Wha-La-Leng”, all cacophonous aggression, and “Get Crazy”, with its “We Takin’ Over”-esque orchestral hits and martial beat, come out on the right side. You could wait for the full-length at the end of the year to enjoy these tracks, but you’d probably miss out on a heap of summer fun.