Hypertension Riddim – Ward 21 Productions

Aisha Davis, Ck, Lady Saw, Patexxx and Ward 21 themselves keep the Hypertension Riddim trim and vocal-heavy, so this isn’t one of those sprawling compilations that drags on. Ward 21 Productions put it out in 2011, and the line-up leans on personality more than sheer numbers, with Lady Saw’s “Don’t Come Home Tonight” giving the set its sharpest turn. Ward 21 have long been known as both artists and producers, and that dual identity shows here in the way the rhythm is used as a platform for a self-voiced cut as well as a handful of contrasting leads. The sequencing makes room for a straight riddim version at the end, which gives the project a tidy, producer-minded finish and lets the vocal tracks do the talking first.