Cyaan Bada Riddim – Bosch Records

Bosch Records’ Cyaan Bada Riddim sits in that early-2010s wave of sharpened, message-minded dancehall where the hook is as important as the stomp, and the title tune with Charan and Le Prince sets the tone right away. The 2013 project runs through 9 tracks and pulls in a mix of voices that range from the veteran cool of Lenn Hammond on “Stand Up” to the tougher edge of K-Lyrikal’s “Bad Company” and Kemmikal’s “Free Up, ” so there’s a little something for different corners of the dance. The messages lean against badmind and bad company without turning preachy, which keeps the riddim moving with some bite. Bosch keeps the sequencing tidy too: after the opening cut, the set shifts through harder-headed solos and closes out with Toppa Bling’s “Get Mine, ” a sequence that feels arranged to tighten the pressure as it goes.