Fragrance Riddim (2015) – John John Records

John John Records kept Fragrance Riddim in familiar dancehall territory in 2015, with Lloyd “John John” James — the son of King Jammy and a long-running producer in his own right — steering a project that sits comfortably in the label’s riddim-heavy catalogue. The instrumental has a clean, springy bounce, with a bright midtempo pulse and enough space for voices to cut through without crowding the arrangement. It is the kind of juggling built for hooks, patter, and sly double entendres.

Demarco and Jovi Rockwell open that side of the release with “Formula, ” a flirtatious duet that rides the rhythm with an easy back-and-forth. Serani’s “Fragrance” brings a smoother melodic touch, while Mr. Vegas uses “Good Girl” to play the veteran dancehall yardman role he has long made his own. Shaggy’s “Jockey” adds crossover polish and that familiar, clipped delivery that helped make him one of dancehall’s most visible global names.

The stronger cuts are the ones that play directly into the riddim’s cheeky, grown-and-sexy mood. Ikaya’s “Lenient Wife” gives the project a sharper female point of view, while Bounty Killer’s “Pants and Skirt” lands with the kind of unruly command he has built his name on. Beenie Man turns up twice, on “Real Man” and “Tropical Wine, ” and his double billing gives the release extra weight; both songs slot neatly into his long run of dancehall anthems built on sharp hooks and playful one-drop teasing.