High Caliber Riddim – Various Artists

By 2005, High Caliber Riddim sits right in that fertile mid-2000s stretch where conscious dancehall and herb songs were still carrying a lot of weight, and this one lines up Benjai, Lyrikal, Marlon Asher, King David, Princess Menen and Zion Judah over the same cut. The strongest moments come from the contrast between Benjai’s breezy “Geh Me Ganja” and Lyrikal’s “Ganja Rule The World, ” with Marlon Asher’s “Love Of Jah” pushing the set further into roots-minded territory while the rhythm keeps a crisp, marching feel underneath. There’s also a cleaner, more stripped-back version tucked in the sequence, which helps frame the vocal cuts without crowding them. The tracklist closes with “No Peace, ” giving the riddim a heavier finish after the more uplifted tunes.