Carbines Riddim – 324 New Empire Records

Mavado’s “Paper Soldier” is the sharpest way into Carbines Riddim, because 324 New Empire Records gives him a dark, streetwise backdrop that suits his cold delivery perfectly. The four-cut set keeps the focus tight, with Teejay’s “Nah Laugh, ” Jahmiel’s “Blue Face, ” and Flexxx’s “War Start” each circling the same hard-edged energy without ever feeling like repeats. Jahmiel’s song had the extra edge of a rumoured diss angle when it first surfaced, which only sharpened the riddim’s tense mood, and that push-pull between melody and menace is where this one lives. 2018 was the year, and the whole thing moves with a clipped, no-nonsense dancehall pulse, right down to the last track.