Baheba Riddim – Don Corleon Records

Don Corleon’s Baheba Riddim came in during a period when the label was already known for clean, melodic juggling work, but this one leans a little tougher and more streetwise, with the kind of punchy dancehall bounce that leaves room for both chatty badness and smoother hooks. Vybz Kartel’s “Party Night” is the obvious magnet, cutting through with that sly late-night energy, while Mr Vegas on “Guide Me” and Voicemail on the title cut keep the riddim moving with more playful, crowd-ready pressure. You also get a nice split between the sharper-edged tunes and the more reflective turns, like Liquid’s “Money Over War, ” which gives the set a bit more weight. Released in 2010, Baheba sits right in that busy Don Corleon run when his productions were everywhere and every new juggling felt like part of the year’s dancehall conversation.