Fyah Bounce Riddim – Real Links Productions

Real Links Productions had this one out in January 2013, and Fyah Bounce Riddim sits right in that early-year dancehall zone where rugged drum programming and a terse bassline do most of the talking. The project came as a multi-artist juggling, with the kind of straight-ahead energy that works for both sound systems and quick-fire radio pull-ups.

The biggest pulls are the veteran names: Busy Signal, Capleton and Beenie Man. Busy Signal turns up twice, first with “Aright” and then with “If Them Think Them Bad, ” which gives the riddim some of its sharpest momentum. Capleton’s “Play Play War” brings the fire-and-brimstone tension he’s built a long career on, while Beenie Man’s “Nuh Fraid A You” keeps the cut sharp and street-minded. Anthony B’s “Roll Out The Brinks” adds that militant roots-dancehall edge, and Chino’s “Oh My Body” gives the riddim a lighter, flirtier swing.

There’s also solid support from Exco Levi, Natural Black, Gott Yo, Kananga, Lexx, Scotch Bonnet, Trapykal One and X-Ale, which helps the set move beyond the headline acts without losing pressure. Fyah Fashion’s title cut, “Fyah Bounce Riddim, ” anchors the package and makes the name mean what it says: a bounce-heavy, hard-kicking rhythm with enough space for different vocal styles to ride it clean.

The result is a 2013 dancehall juggling with clear crossover appeal inside the genre, and the veteran-to-rising-voice mix gives it enough character to hold up as more than just another digital-era compilation.