"The Spirit of Carnival" - it does have a nice sound to it when it is said about the upcoming carnival celebrations. Everyone is anticipating the upcoming festival and a song that speaks about the 'Spirit of Carnival' will get some attention if the lyrics are on track and the music is appealing - so what about this offering from A.J. Ventura that features the voice of Skinny Fabulous?
Lyrically the song is on track - it tells the story about the music and dance and the festival of bacchanal and fun. I can't find any fault with the lyrics because he tells us what Carnival is all about.
Vocally Skinny's voice and style stands out in this song and contrasts with the smooth style of A.J. Ventura - they compliment each other well in this song.
Musically this offering is filled with music that steps out of the box of what is considered normal for calypso, soca or even the new island pop genre. It is musically strong with a solid drum riddim anchoring the song.
Now when it comes to airplay or how this song will fit into a radio station's rotation is difficult to pinpoint at this time because the music is different and we know how the established singers rule on certain radio stations. I don't know if this one will get regular airplay in Trinidad and Tobago. This is not because the artistes are not Trinidadians but because the music is not what the Trinis are accustomed to hearing.
Now when it comes to originality I have to say (for my listening ability) this is different and I can't recall hearing anything like it before. Pardon my ignorance if I am wrong but the 'small islanders' music is not played that much on the Trini radio stations. It is only because I now live in the US that I am hearing all these different music from the other islands. As a result I have to give full marks for originality to this song.
Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). Lend me your ears... Enjoy!
Spirit Of Carnival A.J. Ventura Feat. Skinny Fabulous