Buckle Up Riddim – Various Artists

Buckle Up Riddim comes with a busy 12-track spread and a 17-artist lineup, so this one feels less like a lone anthem and more like a proper dancehall gathering from the jump. The Ballaz drive the whole thing, and their production leans into a tough, mid-2000s reggae-dancehall pulse that leaves room for both chant-heavy cuts and sharper ride-the-pocket vocals. “Goddess” with Vybz Kartel gives the set a sly edge, while “Real Gangster” pairs Mr. Vegas and Mr. Lexx for one of the more memorable team-ups on the riddim. Elsewhere, Alaine’s “You Nuh Ready Fi Me” and Capleton’s “Dem Nuh Know Themself” give the project some extra weight. Issued in 2006, Buckle Up sits right in that era when the one-riddim format was still a major part of the reggae and dancehall conversation.