Go Deh Wid Riddim – Crystal Records

Right in the middle of that heavy mid-’70s Channel One sound, Go Deh Wid Riddim catches Sly and The Revolutionaries in full stride for Derrick Harriott’s Crystal label, with the rhythm moving like a stripped-down dub cut that still keeps plenty of forward motion. The set was issued in 1977 and turns up under Crystal catalog LP 1004, which fits neatly with Harriott’s knack for packaging the studio’s fiercest players as a featured act rather than a backing band. Tracks like “Sly Rockers, ” “Son Of Sam, ” and “Dreadie” lean into that dry, bass-led pulse, while “Chariot Style” and “Praise To Jah” keep the mood militant but loose. By the time it closes with “Ganja Roots, ” the project has already made its point: this is Sly’s drum sound and the Revolutionaries’ chassis, locked in and moving.