Blam Blam Riddim – Champagne Records

Champagne Records’ 1989 Blam Blam Riddim comes across as a tight late-’80s dancehall set with a sharp, gun-talk edge and just enough variety to keep the pacing lively. Firehouse Crew kick things off with “Blam Blam Dub, ” setting the tone before the singers and deejays take turns riding the cut: Johnny P’s “Full A Glamity” and Junie Ranks’ “Gun In A Breif” lean into the rougher side, while Little John’s “Call On The Champion Sound” and Skullman and Scotty’s “Dance The Cha Cha” push the riddim into more playful territory. Ricky Chaplin’s “Long Fi Your Love” is the one that lingers longest, a smoother counterweight that lets the arrangement breathe before Wickerman closes it out with “Man In A Boggy. ”