Sam Interface reflects on the sound of Trinidad & Tobago Carnival

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Music

This week marked the return of one of the world’s most illustrious and exciting carnivals which takes place in Trinidad & Tobago. Sam Interface dissects music and moments, reminiscing on some of his favourite experiences.

Sam Interface is a uniquely talented musician and producer, having released material independently and worked in the studio behind a splendid array of artists including the likes of Stormzy, Burna Boy, Aitch, Pa Salieu, KG and many more.

Over the years he has been fearless, broadening his horizons and adapting to new styles and sounds, drawing upon influences from all over.

He is the co-founder of More Time, a record label which has released some of the most exciting and innovative dance music of the moment including material from the likes of Ahadadream, Bryte, Giulia Tess and many others.

This week gone by marked the return of Jouvert at T&T Carnival – a celebration which has a special place in the heart of Sam Interface who has built close associations over there and has worked as a musician out there for several years…

“When asked to do a playlist for Ransom Note I was trying to think of something interesting to use as a theme. Its been a few years since i’ve experienced Jouvert at T&T Carnival but when this time of year comes around its never far from my mind. I first experienced it in 2011 and on that trip, and the many trips after that, the culture of those amazing twin islands has become a huge influence on my life. There is a yearning my heart that longs to back on the road at 3am this coming Monday morning, covered in paint and mud, buck wild and lose on the Trinidad streets! Carnival in Trinidad is truly incredible thing to experience and Jouvert for me is the very best part.”

J’ouvert (/dʒuːˈveɪ/ joo-VAY) or Jour ouvert is a traditional festival known as “break day” or the unofficial start of Carnival, which takes place on the Monday before Ash Wednesday. The festival, with origins in Trinidad, traditionally begins at 2 a.m. and continues until mid-morning on Monday. J’Ouvert revellers cover their bodies in coloured paints, mud, pitch oil, dress as blue or red devils to dance the streets as an expression of liberation from the constraints of the past and in celebration of the ancestors who have gone before them.

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LISTEN

3 Canal - Blue

“For me, when I think of Jouvert I think of 3 Canal. For me 3 Canal are such an important Trinidadian group, they are committed to preserving the real traditions of Carnival culture and work tirelessly mentoring talented young people in the arts, especially those who don’t quite want to conform to the norms. Not your average band, 3 Canal are more of a Theatre and community group and their venue “The Black Box” is one of the only safe spaces for the T&T LGBTQ community. The atmosphere around their trucks on Jouvert morning is so wild and free, its hard to but into words, it just has to be experienced. This song “Blue” is probably the most famous of their many Jouvert Anthems.”

3 Canal - Blue

“For me, when I think of Jouvert I think of 3 Canal. For me 3 Canal are such an important Trinidadian group, they are committed to preserving the real traditions of Carnival culture and work tirelessly mentoring talented young people in the arts, especially those who don’t quite want to conform to the norms. Not your average band, 3 Canal are more of a Theatre and community group and their venue “The Black Box” is one of the only safe spaces for the T&T LGBTQ community. The atmosphere around their trucks on Jouvert morning is so wild and free, its hard to but into words, it just has to be experienced. This song “Blue” is probably the most famous of their many Jouvert Anthems.”
Laventille riddim section - Jouvert

“Like 3 Canal mentioned above, when I think of J’ouvert I can’t help but think of the hypnotic drums of the Laventille Riddim Section. Every Jouvert morning you will find them on the truck behind 3 Canal 20+ drummers strong, beating their huge “Jun Jun” drums and Wheel hub “Iyan”. When your hear this band playing in their trance inducing ancestral rhythms on the road surrounded by paint covered, euphoric revellers it really is a spiritual experience!”
Bunji Garlin x Jus Now - Mud

“As mentioned I’ve been working as a producer in Trinidad for over a decade now with my partner Keshav as the production duo Jus Now. Over the years Bunji Garlin aka the Viking of Soca has been one of our biggest collaborators and its been a massive honour to work with one of Soca musics most legendary artists. This year we produced this jouvert anthem for him “Jump up in the Mud”!”
Roaring Lion - J'ouvert Barrio

“Recorded in 1935 this has to be one of the earliest Jouvert recordings. A classic Jouvert song that has been re recorded and reinterpreted a few times over the years but this original version has some real magic in it! I love the call and response of the horns and vocals. I’d love to go in a time machine and see what Jouvert Morning was like in the 1930’s!!”
Blaxx - Douen

“Blaxx!! ah man, one of my fav Soca artists of all time, he very sadly passed away during the pandemic. I always felt like he wasn’t quite appreciated as much as he should be even though he always had a couple of big hits every season. It was really nice to hear his songs ringing off everywhere when I visited Tobago back in May last year. Blaxx is another artist with many Jouvert songs, I was going to choose his hit “Tanti Woi” which is one of my favs from my first trip in 2011. But I also really love this one and its a bit more left field, the sparse, iyan laden riddim produced by Umi Marcano and the lyrics (also written by Marcano) tap in to oral traditions and folklore of the Islands. Blaxx recounts in his tongue in cheek, calla nd response style stories of a Douen, a spirit from Trinidadian Folklore that is said to have no face and backwards knees and feet that will lure children into the forest! Spooky!”
Nasty Up - Problem Child

“Originally from St Vincent, now residing in New York. This is one of my fave recent Jouvert songs. A simple dark riddim track of frenetic kicks, iyan wheel rims percussion and conch shell horns with pure hype lyrics from problem Childs super gruff voice. Proper rum addled, stink and dirty Jouvert Energy. MAKE A MESS IN THE PLACE!!”
Machel Montano - Fog

“No soca playlist is complete without a Machel Montano song. Machel is a huge superstar in the Caribbean, and has been arguably the biggest artist in soca music for decades. This one is a bit more of an uplifting (slightly EDM’y!!) happy soca song than most of the other Jouvert songs in this list, which are often a bit darker and stripped back. But the lyrics defo have a jouvert theme and the video, whilst not filmed during jouvert (its filmed at the famous Soaka fete, one of the first big fetes of carnival season every year) the paint and powder covered energy in the video really captures that euphoric joy of Jouvert and carnival in T&T and just makes my spirit raise every time!”
Swappi - bucket

“This one was one of the biggest songs Carnival in 2012 and was the break out hit for one of my favourite artists, Swappi! One of the most interesting eccentric characters in soca music and this one is still some of his best work. Who else in the world could make a hit about the many uses of a Bucket! An amazing ode to Recycling, Drinking, debachery and the many uses of a bucket. Plenty Mud Plenty Oil Plenty Paint!”
Dev - Is Jam

“The Outlaw riddim was produced by St Lucian producers “G6”. One of my fav production teams out there and defo one of the leaders in the St Lucian “Dennery Segment Sound”. On this version of the Riddim Trini artist and self proclaimed “King of the Jouvert” Dev drops a classic Jouvert song that is pure swagger and vibes.”
Skinny Banton - Soak it Good

“I couldn’t really do a Jouvert playlist without mentioning a couple Grenadian songs. Ive never attended Grenada Carnival but its def on my list. “Jab Jab” is a big thing in Grenadian culture. Revelers smear themselves in black oil and wear animal horns to portray a Jab Jab or Jab Molassie which translates as Molasses Devil! The Grenadians really go in on jab Jab as you can see in the video for this hilarious double entendre ridden classic from Skinny Banton.”
Cloud 5 - No Behaviour

“Couldn’t do a Jouvert playlist without mentioning this one. An absolute banger, such rowdy energy. I don’t know much about Cloud 5 to be honest. I know they are also from Grenada, this tune kinda felt like it came out of nowhere but it has been a mainstay in my DJ sets ever since and is def a bit of a jouvert classic. The energy in this one just oozes Jouvert wildness!”