Crush Dem Riddim – Various Artists

CRUSH DEM RIDDIM produced by VARIOUS ARTISTS 2008

Crush Dem Riddim comes across like a lean, no-frills dancehall set from 2008, with a rough, confrontational title that matches the energy of the songs on it. There’s no star-heavy lineup here; instead, it leans on a tight run of voices like Alpha Rowen, Haskel, Black Rain, I Shenko and Hit Man Wally, each cutting their own angle over the same bruising pulse. The whole thing is credited to Various Artists, which fits the way the project is presented: less as a polished showcase and more as a straight bashment juggling session. A few tracks push the vibe hard, especially Alpha Rowen’s “Crush Dem Out” and Hit Man Wally’s “It Bun Dem, ” which keep the theme locked in. The sequencing moves from vocal cuts into the version at the end, so the producer clearly wanted the riddim to be heard as a full round, then stripped back to its raw instrumental form.

Crush Dem Riddim Tracklist:

1. Alpha Rowen – Crush Dem Out
2. Haskel – Got To Be A Man
3. Black Rain – How Dem Stay So
4. Black – Er – Tek You Fi Fool
5. Hitlist – Clap Mi Hand
6. I Shenko – Warriors March Out
7. Izula – On My Mind
8. Higher Relms – Check Yourself
9. Hit Man Wally – It Bun Dem
10. Crush Dem Riddim – Version