Freedom Riddim (2013) – Freedom Trail

Freedom Trail keeps the 2013 Freedom Riddim lean and vocal-heavy, with just four cuts but a nice spread of voices: Turbulence and Bonez on the unity-minded “All Are One, ” Chabe’s sharper take on “Money She Want, ” Bobbo Zarro linking with Hit List and Anthony Que for the Jamaica anthem “Sweet Sweet Jamaica, ” and Lutan Fyah closing with “Mother Of Salvation. ” The set sits in that rootsy, conscious pocket Freedom Trail had already been working through earlier reggae productions, though this one feels a little tighter and less crowded than the older Khata 9 era selections. Rather than chasing big numbers, the release leans on message tunes and harmony-minded features, which suits the label’s catalogue well; it’s a compact statement that fits neatly beside Freedom Trail’s other mid-2010s roots work.