Walk Een Riddim! – Zimi Records

Zimi Records came back in 2024 with Walk Een, a dancehall juggling that sits comfortably in the label’s run of streetwise, modern Jamaican production. The project is tied to producer Franc White, known as Zimi Franc, and it was framed as a way to widen the audience without losing the raw energy that has made the Zimi name familiar in dancehall circles.

The riddim has a hard, contemporary bounce: roomy drums, rubbery bass, and a sparse arrangement that leaves space for chants, hooks, and ride-the-pocket delivery. It moves like a summer session record, with enough snap for the club and enough room for melody to keep the singers from sounding crowded. The vibe is glossy but not overworked, the kind of juggling that can carry both aggressive talk and smoother vocals.

The lineup is one of the release’s strengths. Chi Ching Ching’s “Tea Cup” brings his playful, animated style, while Iwaata’s “Bad Bunx” hits with his rough-edged presence. Yung Bredda adds a crossover curve with “Arch, ” and Najeeriii locks in well on “Zimi Seh, ” a cut that matches his current surge in the dancehall space. Tarrus Riley’s “Ready” gives the riddim one of its cleaner melodic moments, with his vocal polish cutting through the rhythm differently from the younger deejay cuts. Jahvillani’s “Active” and Rajahwild’s “Gone Bad” keep the energy aggressive and direct, making Walk Een feel like a juggling designed to travel from radio to sound system without losing its bite.