Battlefield Riddim – Tuff Riddim Records

By 2005, roots reggae was still leaning hard on conscious one-riddim sets, and Tuff Riddim Records pushed Battlefield in that lane with a rugged, militant pulse that leaves plenty of room for the singers. Bushman’s “You Got Me” brings the kind of warm, meditative tone he does so well, while Jah Cure and Capleton on “Guide and Shield” add a sharper edge, and Turbulence and Mikey General keep the message moving with plainspoken urgency. The unknown cuts “Stronger” and “Fire Sparks” fit the set’s tougher feel, but the instrumental version at the end says plenty on its own: lean drums, steady movement, and that locked-in dubwise backbone that gives the whole riddim its name.

Battlefield Riddim Tracklist:

1. Unknown – Stronger
2. Unknown – Fire Sparks
3. Bushman – You Got Me
4. Jah Cure Ft Capleton – Guide & Shield
5. Lymie Murray – Yadding Away
6. Mikey General – Looking Away Out
7. Turbulence – Don’t Waste My Time
8. Version – Battlefield Riddim