Groove Riddim – Various Artists

Groove Riddim lands as a lean 2008 dancehall cut, more of a quick strike than a sprawling juggling, with just one vocal selection to carry the pattern. Monster Hemp’s “Money World” is the lone featured tune, and it rides a clipped, straight-ahead pulse that keeps the focus on the chant and the swing of the drums rather than any heavy ornamentation. That sparseness gives the riddim a raw, almost dubplate feel, with the version tucked underneath as the project’s final piece. The closing “Groove Riddim Version” underlines the whole thing: this is a bare-bones instrument built to let selectors run it hard and let the one vocal cut do the talking.