Bad Slave Riddim – Golden Rock Music

By 2019, dancehall was leaning hard into trim, trap-tinged riddims, and Bad Slave sits right in that pocket with a lean five-track set from Golden Rock Music. The production has a dark, clipped pulse rather than a big party swing, which suits the straight-talking cuts from Banxx and Qbe on “No Worries, ” Shellings on both “Life Story” and “Love Who Yuh Want, ” and Anaconda’s tough “Wild. ” Shellings’ pair of vocals give the project most of its character, moving between reflection and attitude without losing the riddim’s tension. The title track closes it out as an instrumental, and that bare version leaves the skittering drums and low-end rumble exposed for anyone who wants to hear exactly how Golden Rock built the groove.