Bad Place Riddim – Madmen Productions

Bad Place Riddim lines up just four vocal cuts and an instrumental, which gives Madmen Productions room to keep the focus tight rather than crowd the rhythm with too many voices. Live Man’s “Under Meh Roots, ” Umi Marcano’s “Do It, ” Alysha’s “Crazy Love, ” and Squeezy Ranking’s “Back It Up” all run in clean and raw versions, a format that points to a dancehall cut meant for sound systems as much as casual listening. The rhythm itself sits in that late-2010s hard-edged lane Madmen often worked: clipped drums, a thick low end, and a spare, nagging pulse that leaves plenty of space for each singer’s delivery. At just over three minutes a track, it keeps a brisk pace, with the instrumental closing the set in plain, utilitarian fashion.