1990 Riddim – Cashflow Records

Cashflow Records’ 1990 Riddim is a 2012 dancehall juggling built for the sound system, not the slow-burn album circuit. The rhythm has that early-’90s dancehall memory in its DNA: hard kick, bright synth stabs, a brisk, bouncy pulse, and enough open space for the deejays to work the pocket. It is the sort of riddim that invites both bragging and riding-talk, with an instrumental that frames the set like a proper dance floor tool rather than just a backing track.

The voice list is a strong one. Frankie Sly comes in with “Nuh Boy Cyaa, ” a sharp reminder of why he has long been valued for clean, ringing delivery and streetwise phrasing. Frisco Kid’s “Dat Mi Like” keeps the energy high, with the fast, elastic style that made him one of the more recognizable voices from the Kingston dancehall wave. Mr. Lexx, also known as Lexxus, takes “Nuh More Than Yuh” in both clean and raw versions, playing to the direct, conversational approach that has carried him through years of dancehall. Spice cuts through with “Cyaan Manage It” in clean and raw versions, and her presence gives the riddim a harder, more modern edge. Tanto Metro and Devonte’s “Tun It Up Louder” rounds out the set with the duo’s familiar deejay-and-singer blend, which suits a juggling like this perfectly.

For a 2012 release, 1990 Riddim feels built to reconnect dancehall with an older digital swagger while keeping the subject matter current, from badness and attitude to party command and flirtation. It is a compact, playable set with enough personality across the cuts to keep the rhythm from feeling one-note.