Throwback Thursdays x Sofrito: Lord Shorty, “Vibrations Groove”

Words by Jesse Serwer—

“I want to introduce you to a brand new musical sound called soca…it starts with di bass drum.” That’s the late Lord Shorty (later known as Ras Shorty I), father of soca music, getting his James Brown on, with an instrument-by-instrument breakdown of his then-new creation.

“Vibrations Groove” is featured on Sofrito: International Soundclash, the upcoming compilation from Hugo Mendez and Frankie Francis, the DJs behind London-based “tropical” music label/DJ collective, Sofrito. Due out July 24 on Strut Records, the LP follows the duo’s previous Strut release, Tropical Discotheque, in connecting the dots between African, Caribbean and South America rhythms with rediscovered rarities. Amidst Colombian cumbia and Congolese soukous, International Soundclash features a healthy helping of Caribbean riddims from Haiti’s Les Difficiles de Petion-Ville, Guadeloupe’s Mas Ka Klé and Dominica’s Midnight Groovers, among others. But they couldn’t have picked a better tune to start things off with than the funky, foundational “Vibrations Groove.”