Dance Haffi Keep Riddim – Paranormal Entertainment

Little John’s “Please” is the cut that gives Dance Haffi Keep Riddim its first bit of bite, and it’s the kind of veteran voice that can steady a juggling straight away. Paranormal Entertainment keeps the rhythm in a tough, no-frills dancehall pocket, with 12 tracks across 11 artists and enough room for familiar names like Johnny P, Joseph Cotton and Baby Demus to rub shoulders with newer cuts from Natalya, Kevin Lineage and Talee. There’s a nice continuity here with the producer’s earlier style: it doesn’t chase polish for its own sake, but leans into the kind of street-level energy that suits sound system use. Dignitary Stylish’ title track and Joseph Cotton’s “Sort The Youths Dem” feel like the centre of the set, while Kevin Lineage’s two appearances help tie the project together, making this one a tidy entry in the label’s dancehall catalogue.