Bad Sky Riddim – Various Artists

Bad Sky Riddim comes out of the 2011 dancehall wave with a little more grit than gloss, a seven-track cut that leans hard on raw street energy and quick-fire patter rather than polished crossover shine. The standout moment is Dj Straik’s “Bad Sky Riddim Megamix, ” which frames the project like a loud, camera-on-the-corner intro before the vocal cuts get to work, while Jahmely pops up twice, first on “Get Mad” and again alongside Chakal and Platinieum on “Pull Up That, ” where the interplay gives the riddim a looser, more crew-minded feel. Crazy’s “Nou Vini Pou Dead Yo” and Lil Fly’s “Cho Risk? ” keep the tone tense and confrontational, and even the closing “Cho Les Cacao” with Politik Na? and Marginal hangs around like a last warning. Quietly rude, all the way through.