Black Velvet Riddim – Various Artists

Black Velvet Riddim sits in that mid-2000s crop of compact, three-track reggae compilations that were less about quantity and more about getting a few sharp voices over one idea. Damian Marley’s “Real Friends” is the anchor here, and it’s the kind of cut that leans on his clipped delivery and plainspoken edge rather than any big studio gloss. Evil, better known as Leftside, takes a looser approach on “Flying By, ” while Paul Wall’s “Expensive Taste (Remix)” pushes the project into a crossover corner that gives the whole thing a slightly off-centre feel. With only three tracks and no filler, the 2007 set feels more like a snapshot than a full-scale riddim run, which is part of its charm.