Emotional Riddim (2018) – Showtime Empire Studio

Soft-focus soca is the vibe here, with Emotional Riddim leaning into feeling rather than pure fete pressure and giving Showtime Empire Studio a compact five-track set to work with. Craigist’s “Real Situation, ” Isasha’s “Freedom, ” and Mr Spexx’s title cut do most of the heavy lifting, while Kevin Dodds and Zebee’s “Give Thanks For Life” pushes the most uplifting note in the pack. That 2018 release date puts it right in the middle of Showtime Empire’s run of small, artist-driven riddims, before the label started turning up with harder dancehall projects like 868 WD40. The instrumental closes it out cleanly and keeps the riddim’s mood intact, which is exactly where this one sits in the catalogue: a brief, emotive soca set that prefers reflection to big-stadium aggression.