10 Caribana Tracks
Whine & Kotch’s DJ Taima shares a festival pregame playlist.
The inaugural Grand Parade of Caribana wound down Queen Street West in 1967, snaking and shaking past the future site of our Toronto home. Inspired by the Carnivals of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago’s in particular, the celebration came together for Canada’s Expo 67 Centennial, organized by the Caribbean Cultural Committee.
A resilient and joyous display rooted in commemorating the abolition of slavery across former British colonies including Canada, Caribana originally featured Afro-Trinidadian calypso music — described as “folk poetry set to music.” Over the fêtes that followed, the festival’s sound expanded to encompass the kaleidoscopic music of the Caribbean diaspora, from soca to dembow to dancehall to Drake.
“The second any DJ drops [Drake’s “Controlla,”] everyone is on their feet dancing and singing every word,” says Haitian Canadian DJ Taima. Sensing a dearth of proper dancehall parties in Montreal, DJ Taima launched her Whine & Kotch event series in 2018, before bringing it annually to Caribana beginning in 2023. This year, on the Friday of the festival, she’ll be posted up on the rooftop of Ace Hotel Toronto until the wee hours, delivering Island Sounds. Can’t make it? Catch Whine & Kotch at the Portland Room in Toronto on August 1, and on September 6 at Ace Hotel Brooklyn.
Ahead of the merrymaking, we asked DJ Taima for a festival pregame playlist. Get ready to sweat.
Caribana Pregame Playlist by DJ Taima
“Fall In Love” by Popcaan
The perfect summertime whine. This song makes me feel like I’m in love by the water, and there’s something special about capturing that carefree island feel in the middle of a concrete jungle.
“Controlla” by Drake
Even though this song is 10 years old, it’s the Toronto summer anthem. The second any DJ drops it, everyone is on their feet dancing and singing every word.
“She’s Hot” by T.O.K.
This one instantly takes me back to the LimeWire era. It’s a classic bashment record that lives up to its name; it makes you feel hot and confident.
“Bashment Party” by Rayvon & Red Fox
The title says it all. This is exactly the energy we aim to create at our events: a packed dance floor, nonstop movement and a real sweaty function.
“So Special” by Mavado
My favorite track from the Unfinished Business riddim. It’s timeless, always gets a great reaction from the crowd, and never fails to bring the right energy.
“Ballerina” by Silent Addy, Rema, Skillibeng & Disco Neil
This song is special to us for two reasons: not only is it one of the songs of the summer, but it was also produced by our longtime Whine & Kotch collaborator, Silent Addy, which makes it an easy addition to the playlist.
“Talk To Me Nuh” by Shenseea, Vybz Kartel & Rvssian
As a longtime Shenseea fan, I’ve loved watching her evolution, and this is one of her biggest recent hits. It sounds just as incredible blasting through speakers as it does on your headphones.
“Whine & Kotch” by J. Capri & Charly Black
This track means everything to us; it’s where Whine & Kotch got its name. That alone makes it a permanent fixture in our sets.
“Go Go Wine” by Vybz Kartel
An underrated banger. Not nearly enough DJs play this one, which is exactly why I love dropping it at Whine & Kotch. The reaction is always instant, and the crowd goes wild.
“Gallis” by Mr. Vegas
A certified crowd favorite and one of those songs everyone knows. The moment it comes on, the entire room is singing along from start to finish.
Turndown Service from Ace Hotel
A roundup of rabbit holes to bed down with.
Caribana takes over Toronto this weekend, and DJ Taima summons Caribbean sounds Friday on Ace Hotel Toronto’s rooftop.
On August 6, Ace Brooklyn Artist in Residence Curry J. Hackett opens It Can Happen…Still Time to Try, an exhibition in collaboration with J.T. Roane and Jona Alexander. On view in the Gallery through October.
Tomayto, tomahto — the whole thing’s on for Produce Parties’ next shindig happening August 6 in Brooklyn.
Bringing Homer home, in a design sense. Elsewhere on the internet, the Homeric epic’s never been more lost: “There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible.”
Ready your Goodreads goals: the Booker Prize 2026 longlist has arrived.