Changes Riddim (2009) – Don Corleon Records

Don Corleon’s Changes Riddim landed in 2009 as another polished juggling from one of dancehall’s most reliable hitmakers. Donovan “Vendetta” Bennett had already built a reputation for clean, radio-friendly productions that still carried enough weight for sound system play, and this one sits comfortably in that lane. The release came out on Don Corleon Records in September 2009 and runs through nine cuts, with the final track credited to I Octane under the Blood Shed title.

The riddim itself has a smooth, melodic bounce, with a roots-leaning warmth that never loses its dancehall feel. It is the kind of one-drop-driven pattern that leaves space for melody and emotion, which is why so many conscious and lovers-rock voices gravitated to it. Alaine’s With Out U sets the tone with heartbreak and vulnerability, while Gentleman’s Changes and Jah Cure’s Never Find push the same reflective mood from different angles. Tarrus Riley’s Getty Getty No Wantee and Richie Spice’s More Life bring uplift and social consciousness, and Morgan Heritage’s Can’t Get We Out adds the group’s familiar harmony-rich firmness.

One of the strongest things about Changes Riddim is how evenly it treats the voices on it. Mitch’s Give Me a Call keeps the romantic thread moving, while I Octane’s Blood Shed cuts a harder path and gives the sequence a tougher finish. Maikal X’s Bare With Me also appears on the full release listings, rounding out the set and confirming that this was a well-populated juggling built for repeated spins rather than one-off novelty.