DJs Extraordinaire Vol 1 – VP Records

By the time Beenie Man cuts into “Cool Cool Rider” and Cutty Ranks locks onto “Wait Deh Man, ” you’re right back in that late-’80s dancehall moment when DJs were pushing personality as hard as the rhythm. VP’s DJs Extraordinaire Vol 1 gathers a sharp cross-section of voices from the era, from Charlie Chaplin’s “Flatty” and Sister Nancy’s “Ram Dance Daughter” to Papa San, Simpleton, and Capleton, with each cut riding the same hard-edged, party-minded footing. Angie Angel’s “Agony” opens the set with a different kind of bite, while Johnny P, Daddy Screw, and General Degree keep the energy moving through talkative, crowd-ready turns. The compilation is tagged to 198X and pulls together 12 tracks, which gives it that compact, singles-driven feel VP was so good at packaging.