Duet Riddim – Notnice Records

Notnice Records was in a busy little run around the turn of 2014, and Duet lands in that same pocket of sharp, stripped-back dancehall the label was shaping at the time. It’s a small set, just three cuts, but it gets straight to the point: Alkaline’s Lonely carries the emotional weight, with that cool, detached delivery he was making his calling card, while D’Angel’s Im Yours leans more tender and direct, giving the riddim a softer pull. The instrumental is lean and uncluttered, with enough space for the vocals to do the heavy lifting. The release first surfaced in January 2014, which puts it right in the middle of that early-year Notnice stretch when the label was churning out riddims almost one after another.