Come Around Riddim – Hi Grade Hi-Fi Records

In 2021, when a lot of roots-minded reggae productions were leaning back into dubwise textures and stripped-down arrangements, Hi Grade Hi-Fi Records put out Come Around Riddim as a compact eight-track set with six vocal cuts and a dub-heavy edge. The lineup keeps circling back to Richie Culture and Robbie Melody, with Jugganaut popping up on “Karma” and the K Dottie x Jugganaut pairing on “One by One, ” while Diamond White’s “Babylan System” adds a sharper conscious note. There’s also a straight instrumental presence in “Hi Grade Dub” and the melodica version, which points to a production style that favours echo, space, and version culture over flashy arrangement. It all hangs on a steady, medium-tempo one-drop pulse with a deep bassline and a clean skank that leaves plenty of room for the vocal phrasing.