Formulate Riddim – Gaga Productions

Formulate Riddim leans into clean, modern dancehall with a sharp, chant-heavy pulse and enough room for the deejays to work the groove without crowding it. Gaga Productions keeps the cut lean and pointed, and the most memorable moments come from the contrast between Bling Kadillac’s “Top Gallis, ” the more streetwise bite of Goldmyne’s “How Yuh Bad Suh, ” and Kelard Tha Lyricist’s “Birth Right, ” which gives the set a little more conscious weight. The lineup also includes Dipherence, Lahjihkal, Leital and Popsy Badda, but the riddim itself does the heavy lifting, carrying a string of short, direct tunes with a raw version option on several tracks. The instrumental “Formulate Riddim” closes the release out neatly, letting the rhythm pattern speak for itself.