Reigniting an infectious fire that has been burning for about a decade, XS Groove presents
its debut album, ‘Now or Never’, inspired by local events patterning to life in the land of
Bouyon, Dominica.
The album expresses the voice of the local youth through situational irony, wordplay, and satire, seamlessly blending these elements with the band’s unique take
on Bouyon music. Created collaboratively by the members, its development was founded on a shared belief that the best time to fully commit to the music and representation of Dominica is NOW!
In the background of Now or Never ‘s construction, XS Groove urges increased focus on capitalizing on the current meteoric rise of Bouyon music, especially by seasoned artists and local veterans. According to its manager Kevin Etienne, the current members of the band like many others grew up in an era when the top of the bouyon pyramid featured the likes of WCK and others who presented a certain quality of sound and melody that was “anything
but simple.” Etienne expounded, “What that did, I believe, was create a blueprint for the things to follow.
Therefore, the rhythms had not only to be catchy and have the ‘vybe’ the public demanded but also because of the standard set by the barons, bouyon music had to
consist of well-crafted songs, professionally mixed and sang on key.“ The one year serving manager envisions “Now or Never” as the framework for the future of Bouyon Music, aiming to preserve the local culture amid a “dynamic shift with new heads at the top.”
Etienne says that this shift has led to a dilution of the standards set by the Bouyon Pioneers(WCK). XS Groove seeks to establish a foundation through successfully blending new Bouyon with the traditional one, while preserving the authenticity of the genre’s original sound and its historical roots.
‘
Now or Never’ presents twelve entrancing tracks showcasing lead vocalists Delon “Tete G” Daniel, Madison “Milla” Etienne, and Judah “DiYoute” Jno Baptiste. The production was managed by in-house teams Untamed Productions and Young Wild & Free Entertainment, with co-production by Fr3EzE, Tewa Beatz and Savion Beats. The album also includes a contribution from notable Bouyon artist Gwada G.
‘Now or Never’ is now available for downloading and streaming via media platforms as of October 11th 2024. Remember that yesterday is History, and tomorrow is a mystery, so let’s do it Now or Never!
