Boulbi Riddim – Various Artists

The Boulbi Riddim comes in as a tight little four-track dancehall set from 2006, and the pull is the mix of names around it: Kalash’s “Ou L? Test” leads the charge, Lieutenant cuts in with “Kill Batty, ” and Messen’s “Blackman” keeps the tension up over a lean, stripped-back digital groove. It’s the kind of riddim that leaves plenty of room for the voices, with the title version sitting there like a bare-bones backbone while the artists work their own angles on top. Paille also turned up on the rhythm that year with “Baissé Zié Ba Yo, ” which fits the same fast, streetwise energy the set carries. Four cuts make up the whole release, with one version and three vocal tracks: Boulbi – Version, Kalash – Ou L? Test, Lieutenant – Kill Batty, and Messen – Blackman.