Cross The Board Riddim – One Ton Records

Cross The Board Riddim lands in that mid-2000s reggae lane where the groove does most of the talking: a spare, rootsy cut from One Ton Records with Burro Banton and Pinchers fronting the title tune, then King Django, Phenomden, Ras Charmer and Ward 21 each taking a pass at the same backdrop. The riddim is credited to The Scrucialists and sits in the same family as the earlier Joy Ride pattern, which gives it that familiar, sturdy one-drop feel with a little extra dubwise grit around the edges. King Django’s “Herbsman Hustling” and Ward 21’s “Ambassador” are the tracks that sharpen the picture, one leaning conscious and the other more patois-heavy and streetwise. It’s a compact six-track set, and the bassline stays deep, rounded and steady throughout.