Angel Riddim (2008) – Patate Records

By 2008, Patate Records had this one sketched out as a clean roots-to-modern-reggae juggling piece, with Sizzla, Jah Mason, Voicemail and Norris Man among the voices riding it. The Angel Riddim keeps the arrangement lean rather than glossy, leaning on a steady one-drop pulse, clipped guitar skanks and a warm, rounded bass line that sits right in the pocket. That gives room for the singers to work the message side of things, whether it’s Sizzla’s “Whats The World” or Jah Mason’s “Wicked Man, ” while the more melodic cuts like Lyricson’s “Black Woman” and Wayne Marshall’s “Ballin Out” add a little contrast. It plays with that late-2000s reggae polish without losing the dubwise spine, ending on a mid-tempo groove and a bass pattern that stays heavy but unhurried.