Bye Bye Love Riddim – Jammys Records

1988 was a busy year for Jammy’s, and Bye Bye Love Riddim sits right in that hard, stripped-down dancehall moment when King Jammy’s productions were pushing sound-system energy over polish. The rhythm has that tight digital snap and heavy bounce that lets the DJs and singers cut through cleanly, with Admiral Bailey’s “Old Time Something, ” Anthony Malvo and Daddy Lizard’s “Greatest Girl Lover, ” and Shabba Ranks’ “Get Up Stand Up” doing a lot of the lifting. Gregory Isaacs and Josey Wales add some veteran weight, but the set keeps its edge by moving from big-voiced toastings to the rawer party cuts without losing momentum. The closing instrumental/version for “Bye By Love” ties the whole thing back to the riddim itself, and the project’s connection to the China Town/Bye Bye Love family gives it that classic Jammy’s crossover feel.