Drum Corps Riddim – Mario C Productions

“Drum Corps” comes in with a clipped, militant pulse that suits the title, and Mario C keeps the arrangement lean enough for the voices to do the heavy lifting. Konshens’ “Bun Satan” and Popcaan’s “Nah Leave” give the riddim its sharpest modern edge, while Elephant Man’s “Clean” and the Beenie Man/Boom Boom pairing on “Wine” keep it rooted in the kind of straight-ahead dancehall energy that was still ruling 2012. It’s a small five-track set, but that economy is part of the point: Mario C doesn’t crowd the sound, he lets the pattern hit and reset. Coming after his 2011 “Beach Party” project, this one feels a little tougher and less playful, a neat fit in a catalogue that was already leaning toward clean, DJ-friendly juggling material.