Cuss Cuss Riddim (2006) – Taxi Records

By 2006, Taxi Records were already deep into their catalogue of tough rootical reruns and sharp dubwise revisions, and this Cuss Cuss cut sits right in that line, taking one of reggae’s most reworked rhythms and giving it a fresh pass with a lean, bass-heavy pulse. Anthony Red Rose’s “Changes” and Junior Kelly’s “Youths Dem Nah Cool” bring the most immediate fire, while Mutabaruka’s “Bring the Fire” folds spoken-word grit into the groove with real authority; Prilly Hamilton keeps things more reflective on “Cool, ” and the Sly and Robbie version closes the set with the kind of stripped, percussive authority you’d expect from their Taxi-era work. The riddim itself traces back to Lloyd Robinson’s 1968 “Cuss Cuss, ” a foundation that’s been recut countless times, but this 2006 outing keeps its focus tight.