African Robot Riddim – The Unknown People Records

A jagged little time-capsule, African Robot Riddim comes out of The Unknown People Records with 2011 dancehall energy and a roster that jumps from rough-edged to playful in a hurry. Junior Reid’s “Tun Up” gives the set some seasoned weight, while Wayne Marshall’s “Dance” and Khago’s “Way Dem A Say” lean harder into the party side, with Blak Ryno and Hawkeye keeping the tension up in between. The instrumental has that clipped, mechanical pulse the title hints at, more robot-flex than glossy polish, and it suits a lineup that also includes Tifa and Liquid, Andrew and Wada Blood, and Chedda without ever sounding overcrowded. Small but sharp, right down to the lone producer cut tucked in at track nine.