A Fool Riddim (1996) – Stingray Records

Produced by Stingray Records, A Fool Riddim arrived in 1996 as a compact four-track reggae set featuring Frankie Paul, Spanner Banner, Akabu, and Alton Ellis. The lineup pairs Frankie Paul’s Hurry On Back and Spanner Banner’s Happiness with Akabu’s Stay Cool and Alton Ellis’ title cut A Fool, giving the riddim a strong mix of veteran voices and smoother roots-style singing. Stingray, the London-linked label run by Carl McLeod and Ray McLeod, was already putting out a steady run of mid-90s reggae releases around this period, and this one sits neatly in that catalogue with its tidy, singer-focused approach.