Axeman Special Riddim – Caveman Productions

2016 was still a strong juggling year in reggae, and Caveman Productions slipped Axeman Special Riddim into that flow with seven cuts and a tight, mid-length run time that keeps the focus on the songs rather than any grand concept. Sizzla’s “Overwelmed” gives the set its biggest pull, while Terry Ganzie’s “Jah Alone Know” and Yahbor I-Stitch’s “Ska ‘N’ Bounce” help give the rhythm a mix of grit and uplift, with the rest of the cast — Infa feat. Proverbs, Charley Charley, Reuben, and Jah Currant — keeping the chant-and-carry movement steady. The production has a lean, hard-edged reggae pulse that leaves room for the voices to do the talking, and the whole thing landed on September 23, 2016 as a seven-track Various Artists release on Caveman Productions.