Belly Flat Riddim – Blackstarliner Records

Belly Flat Riddim from Blackstarliner Records lands in that early-2010s dancehall pocket where the groove is lean, the bass is blunt, and the vocals ride a stark, no-frills pattern. The title cut by African Shumba sets the tone, while names like Mikey D on “Ganjaman, ” Daddy Spencer from South Africa on “My Zion Train, ” and Ibel (Jamaica) on “Champion Bubbla” give the project a wider regional spread than the average local juggling. Blackstarliner keeps the arrangement dry and functional, with a skanking backbone and a low-end pulse that leaves plenty of room for patois-heavy hooks and chant-style phrasing. It’s a tidy 2012 dancehall set with enough movement in the voice work to keep the riddim from sitting too straight, and the final impression is all about that clipped tempo and the heavy, rolling bass line underneath it.