City Riddim (2026) – Stingray Records

Stingray Records’ City Riddim sits right in the label’s long-running sweet spot: cleanly cut reggae backed by veteran voices who know how to ride a melody without crowding the groove. The release is listed in 2026 and appears under the same Stingray umbrella that has been pushing digital reggae and riddim packages for years out of its UK-based operation. In the Stingray catalogue, this kind of project is familiar territory, and City Riddim lands as another one of those careful selections aimed at sound systems, selectors, and listeners who still want a proper one-riddim set with singers who can handle a chorus.

The lineup is stacked with names that make sense for a roots-forward, lover’s-leaning riddim. Freddie McGregor is the obvious anchor, and “Key To The City” gives the set immediate weight. McGregor has been one of reggae’s most durable voices since childhood, with a career that stretches from Studio One-era beginnings into modern roots and lovers rock. Glen Washington, another veteran with serious staying power, brings “Free Up The Vibes, ” and that pairing alone tells you the project is aiming for warmth, uplift, and mature phrasing rather than aggressive dancehall energy. Bushman’s “Only Jah” points the set toward conscious reggae, which is where his voice has always carried real authority.

Tony Curtis, Frankie Paul, Al Campbell, Jesse Gender, Rich Kid, and the duo of Richie Davis and Peter Spence round out the thing with different shades of melody and sentiment. Tony Curtis has long been known for his smooth lovers style, so “Lonely Man” fits naturally. Frankie Paul’s contribution is especially poignant, because his distinct, nasal, soulful tone was one of dancehall reggae’s signature sounds. Al Campbell’s “Give Me Your Love” adds more of that classic foundation-era charm, while Richie Davis and Peter Spence’s “Start All Over Again” feels like the kind of duet that can bring a little extra lift to a riddim built on sentiment and harmony.

There is also a small title wrinkle worth noting: the store listing frames the set as Key To The City Riddim, while the release file here is City Riddim. Either way, the music reads as one project. The songs suggest a mid-tempo, melodic one-drop feel with enough polish for digital playback and enough bounce for jukebox and radio use. This is the sort of Stingray compilation that relies on veteran interpretation rather than gimmicks, and the best cuts are the ones that sound lived-in, not overworked.