Ghost Rider Riddim – Various Artists

A grimy, mid-2000s dancehall pulse runs through Ghost Rider Riddim, the kind of stripped, hard-edged one-drop footing that leaves plenty of room for the deejays to cut through. The 2007 juggling keeps its circle tight with just six tracks, and it leans heavily on name-brand firepower: Buju Banton’s “Come To Me Baby, ” Mavado’s “Heaven Got A Ghetto, ” and Vybz Kartel’s “Shot Inna Dem” carry most of the weight, while Aidonia, Busy Signal and Demarco, and Spragga Benz fill out the set with their own sharper takes. There’s a nice tension between the harder street talk and the more melodic phrasing in the middle, which keeps the riddim from settling into one mood for too long. Kartel’s “Shot Inna Dem” is the one that leaves the deepest mark, all clipped menace and cold precision.