Free The Sess Riddim – Mark Topsecret Music

Mark Topsecret Music keeps Free The Sess Riddim rooted in late-era roots reggae, but there’s a little more movement in the cut than the title might suggest: the instrumental has a bright, rolling feel, while the dub version leans deeper and more spacious. Macka B’s “Could Have Been I” gives the set its sharpest vocal edge, and The Mighty Diamonds turn up in more than one guise with “Them Free The Sess Abroad” in dancehall, straight, and dub versions, which gives the riddim a nice push-and-pull between song and sound system version. Richard Parks and Mark Ainsworth round out the lineup on the instrumental side, keeping the project lean at five tracks and underlining how 2013 reggae riddims were still giving equal room to roots singers, dubs, and selector-friendly mixes.