123 Riddim – Stingray Records

Stingray Records’ 123 Riddim sits a little differently from the label’s better-known dubwise catalog, leaning instead into a tidy roots-reggae juggling with six vocal cuts in under 20 minutes. Queen Ifrica opens with “Crusin Together, ” and the strongest moments come from the contrast between her seasoned delivery and the smoother turns from Askala Selassie and Tasonia. The rhythm itself is spare and controlled: warm bass, clipped guitar skanks, a steady drum pocket, and just enough keyboard movement to keep the arrangement from feeling bare. Issued in March 2017, the set plays like a compact studio exercise in restraint, with each singer riding the same frame rather than trying to overpower it. The result is a mid-tempo groove that stays locked on the one-drop pulse and leaves plenty of air around the vocals.