Benignite Riddim – Shamma Sound System

In 2013, when gospel-leaning reggae and digital roots projects were circling hard through the scene, Shamma Sound System came with Benignite Riddim and lined it with a spread of voices that lean devotional without losing the dancehall edge. Debbi Verbz’s “Perilous Times” and Selass MC’s “Un Homme Averti” sit right near the front of the conversation, while Kanda and L’homme Rich’s “Sans Lui” and Kwely with Sibbecai on “Ensemble” push the French-language side of the set into the mix. The rhythm has that tidy, forward-driving feel common to the era’s gospel reggae productions, letting the singers carry the message over a compact, midtempo bounce. The release runs 12 tracks deep and closes with the title cut, “Benignite Riddim, ” under Shamma Sound System’s production credit.