Gyal Fest Riddim – Bad Rock Records

Back in 2012, dancehall was full of those sharp, girl-centric juggling rhythms that kept dance floors locked on flirtation and swagger, and Gyal Fest Riddim sits right in that pocket. Bad Rock Records lines up a tight six-track set with eight voices across it, but Bugle and Quick Cook’s “Nuh Trush None A Dem” and Ding Dong’s “Gyallis Machine” do the heavy lifting, while Voicemail’s “My Entourage A Woman” and Future Fambo’s “Latest Brands” keep the tone playful and sharply styled. The riddim rides a bright, uptempo dancehall groove with enough bounce for party chatter and enough bass weight to let each artist push their own angle, from clever talk to pure gyallis posturing. The full tracklist also includes Unit and Beer’s “Gyal Dem Rate We” and Jay Dash’s “Tun Up Load, ” making this a compact 2012 Bad Rock Records release built around six cuts.