Answer 2k1 Riddim – Ras- I Records

Ras-I Records’ Answer 2k1 Riddim sits a little apart from the bigger-name 2001 reggae compilations, but it has the kind of compact, singer-friendly cast that made these one-riddim projects travel well at the time. Freddie McGregor turns up twice, once in the straight “Dance Nice” cut and again alongside Bubba in the DJ mix, while George Nooks, Junior Demus, Lady Ann and Pad Anthony keep the versions moving with different shades of delivery. The riddim leans on a clean mid-tempo rockers pulse, with a steady bassline and tidy drum pattern that leave room for melody rather than crowding the vocals. It’s a modest six-track set, but the arrangement is tight and the pace never rushes, which is exactly what lets McGregor’s easy phrasing and Pad Anthony’s sharper edge sit cleanly on the same rhythm.