Far Away Riddim (2007) – Don Corleon Records

Tarrus Riley’s “Friend Enemy” is the track that lingers first on Far Away Riddim, because it sits right in the pocket of Don Corleon’s clean, steppy 2007 one-drop and cuts a little deeper than the rest. Around it, Alaine, Morgan Heritage, Pressure and Voicemail keep the set moving with rootsy warmth and melodicism, and the whole thing feels like the kind of conscious compilation Bennett was especially sharp at pulling together in that era. Morgan Heritage’s “I Know What You Like” and Pressure’s “Can You Hear My Cry” sit nicely against Tarrus Riley’s darker turn, while the short instrumental “Far Away” almost sneaks in like a palate cleanser. Four sung voices, one clear mood, and just enough edge to keep it from drifting off.