Hangova Riddim – Smoke Shop Production

2011 was a year when dancehall kept leaning hard into party pressure and yardman swagger, and Smoke Shop Production’s Hangova Riddim sits right in that pocket with a loose, liquor-soaked vibe that runs through the whole set. The titles do a lot of the talking here: “Wray and Nephew, ” “Been Drinking, ” “Never Sober, ” “Party Tonight, ” and “Crazy Hangova” all point to a riddim made for late-night pull-ups and early-morning trouble. Alka’s “The Victory” and Eyesus’ “Breaking Up” give the project a little extra shape, while the instrumental keeps a rough, upbeat bounce rather than getting too polished. The closing stretch, ending on Ziggy Eva Strap’s “Crazy Hangova, ” leaves the session feeling like one long bashment run through the same drunken haze.