Hypnosis Riddim – Voice Out Loud Records

Voice Out Loud Records came through in 2016 with Hypnosis Riddim, a modern dancehall juggling that sits in the sweet spot between militant pressure and melody. The release landed on October 21, 2016, and ran with ten tracks in total, including the instrumental version, under the Voice Out Loud Records imprint.

The cut list gives the riddim real range. Ginjah’s Touch The Levels and Jahmiel’s Touch The Metal bring the cleaner, more reflective side of the rhythm, while Jahvillani’s I Promise You and Vershon’s Still Feel push it into rougher, street-level dancehall territory. Sizzla’s Badmind People is the anchor for anyone who wants the harder edge: a warning song with the kind of spiritual defiance and social bite he has long made his trademark. Ashawn’s Wipe Those Tears and the Nashy Bull and Monkie combination on I Would add another layer, keeping the riddim from feeling one-dimensional.

The rhythm itself sits around a 100 BPM feel and moves with a controlled, bass-driven bounce that leaves room for the singers and deejays to stretch out their phrasing. It is the kind of production that suits both conscience lyrics and flirtatious talk, which is why the set works as a proper juggling rather than a string of unrelated singles. Voice Out Loud Records clearly had an ear for voices that could sit on a sleek, contemporary dancehall bed without losing grit.