80s Special Riddim – Various Artists

80s Special Riddim taps that old-school reggae memory bank with a mid-2000s cut built for riders who still love a clean one-drop and a chunky, nostalgic groove. The cast keeps the energy moving: Ace’s “Big Talk” and Squeezy Rankin’s “Put Down D 45” carry the kind of direct, streetwise chat that suits the title, while the Kari Kill and Jah Bami combination on “Life” adds a little more lift in the middle of the sequence. It’s a 2006 various-artists set with 11 tracks and 13 unique voices, and the lineup moves from Menace’s “Jail House” to Nature B’s “Rude Boys” before closing out with the version cut itself, “80’s Special Riddim, ” which ties the whole thing together in classic riddim style.