Hard Hitter Riddim – Katana House Records

Macka Diamond and Denise Belfon make the first cut count on “What Girls Like, ” and that duet pretty much sets the tone for Hard Hitter Riddim’s carnival-minded charge. Katana House Records keeps the energy moving with a six-track spread that jumps from Flava’s cheeky “Tekk It” to Ja Katana’s whistle-ready debut turn, then leans into Soca Banton’s “Sexy” and Trini Jacobs’ “In Control. ” This one sits right in that mid-2000s Trinidad space where dancehall, soca and a bit of UK grime were rubbing shoulders, and the production follows suit with a bright, jumpy pulse rather than a heavy one-drop feel. There’s a local, road-ready looseness to it, the kind of riddim aimed as much at pre-carnival parties as the dancehall.