Decoy Riddim – Chillspot Recordz

From Harare’s Zimdancehall circuit, Decoy Riddim catches Chillspot Recordz in that locked-in, mid-2010s groove where the label was turning out crew-friendly rhythms with a sharp local identity. The 14-cut set pulls in Andy Muridzo, Cindy, Guspy Worrior, Kinnah, Nutty O, and Seh Calaz, and the best moments come from the contrast between the tougher street-side chants and the more melodic turns, especially on Nutty O’s “Party Turn Up” and Cindy’s “Im Never Letting Go. ” Chillspot’s production here has that lean, percussion-first swing the imprint had made its calling card by this point, tighter and more immediate than the earlier, heavier shell of some of their big-name riddims. Decoy fits neatly into the label’s catalogue as one of those project riddims that keeps Zimdancehall’s crossover edge intact while still sounding made for the core sound system crowd.