Trinidadian soca phenom KES the Band had been peddling its distinctive blend of groovy soca for about half a decade before hitting it big with “Wotless.” Released just in time to become the dominant song of 2011’s carnival season, the irresistibly catchy ode to free-spirited partying and Caribbean pride found lead singer Kees declaring “I feel like I just won a million dollars, 'cause everybody in the street wearing Caribbean colors!” The sentiment was echoed by thousands of festivalgoers in the streets of Miami, New York, Toronto, and Trinidad itself, where the group members were proclaimed the Groovy Soca Monarchs of 2011. Quick to capitalize on the success of “Wotless,” KES rushed out Wotless Carnival Album within a few short months of the lead single’s dramatic success. The album is an unabashedly pop-inflected effort and benefits from the guiding hand of some masterful soca producers. First among these is Kerwin Du Bois, who wrote and produced the exultant title track. But the up-and-coming production team at Precision Global Music also contributes some highlights, such as the dancehall-influenced “We Coming Down.”