Garrison Cry Riddim – Zig Don Records

Gritty and bare. Garrison Cry Riddim lands with that raw, street-level pulse Zig Don Records was aiming for in 2008, and Vybz Kartel’s title cut sounds like the obvious anchor, all clipped confidence and garrison tension. Black Rhyno’s The System pushes the same hard-edged mood from a slightly more blunt angle, while Crisopolis comes through on Wankster with a rougher, jokey swagger that keeps the riddim from feeling one-note. It’s a small three-song set, but Kartel’s name gives it the heat and the whole thing moves with that tense, late-2000s dancehall snap, no wasted motion.