Champ Riddim (2018) – Big Zim Records

2018 was a busy year for straight-to-the-point dancehall riddims, and Big Zim Records’ Champ Riddim sits right in that pocket with a compact set of tough, chant-ready cuts. Govana’s “Champ” and Kiprich’s “Call Me” set the tone with sharp-tongued badness and slick phrasing, while I-Octane’s “Friend” and the D’Judge and Squash combination on “Let’S Go” keep the energy moving in a more youthful, streetwise lane. The rhythm itself feels lean and percussive rather than overworked, leaving plenty of room for each voice to cut through without crowding the mix. Jay-5 Flow and Killa Nazine add extra local colour to the line-up, and the closing Champ Riddim instrumental ties the whole thing together by laying bare the drum pattern and bass line that carry the project.