Grab Dem Riddim – Skatta Productions

By 2008, dancehall was deep in the era of stark, pressure-heavy riddims, and Skatta Productions’ Grab Dem Riddim sits right in that pocket with a lean, confrontational cut that leaves room for the vocals to do the cutting. The lineup is strong without feeling crowded: Buju Banton, Vybz Kartel, Anthony B and Lukie D all bring different shades to the same framework, from Buju’s clipped authority on “Any Weh” to Kartel’s sharper, more provocative turn on “Fuck Anyweh. ” Mr G’s “Closer” and Jigsy King’s “Nuttin Good” help set the tone early, while the riddim’s own pulse stays tight and restless underneath it all. Deva Bratt closes things out with “Lawless, ” which fits the project’s no-nonsense mood and leaves the instrumental with the kind of rough edge that kept 2008 dancehall moving.