Devil Works Riddim – Upsetta Records

Upsetta Records and Loud City Music keep working the dancehall lane with a riddim that feels built for the sound system. Devil Works arrives in 2024 as a modern juggling with a dark, hard-driving pulse, and it sits neatly inside the label’s run of projects that have moved between roots, reggae and dancehall without losing that clean, club-ready punch. The rhythm holds steady around a mid-tempo stomp, with heavy bass, clipped percussion and a skeletal arrangement that leaves room for the voices to cut through.

Popcaan opens the set with “Devil Works (Never Work), ” and that title tune gives the riddim its name and its bite. He rides the groove with the same cool, melodic authority that has made him one of Jamaica’s most recognizable dancehall exports, while the song’s warning tone gives the project a little edge. I-Octane brings a more playful, sensual energy on “Gyal Don’t Play, ” leaning into the kind of versatile delivery that has long defined his blend of conscious roots and mainstream dancehall. Jahvillani’s “Come Around” adds a tougher street pull, while Rygin King turns “Doin It Big” into a triumphant anthem.

Tifa and Dovey Magnum give the riddim its female perspective, with “Go Call Yuh Gal” and “Up Deh” keeping the energy flirtatious and sharply phrased. Kaliba’s “Forever” closes the project on a more reflective note, which makes the lineup feel less like a straight-forward party set and more like a full dancehall cross-section.