Brand New Riddim – Yam and Banana

Coming out of the 2017 reggae scene with a very plainspoken name and a busy guest list, Yam and Banana’s Brand New Riddim feels like one of those UK-rooted one-riddim projects where the vocals do the talking. Jah Garvey’s “Brand New Day” and Da Fuchaman’s “Hail Him Rastafari” anchor the set with that conscious, roots-first energy, while Norris B’s “No More Room For Mistakes” and Nia Melody’s “Champion Lover” keep the mood moving between reflection and lovers rock warmth. The production has a clean, forward push rather than anything overly ornate, which lets the singers work the cut without crowding the arrangement, and the instrumental closes the circle neatly at the end, just as you’d expect from a riddim built for selectors and sing-jays alike.