I Need You Riddim – Jammys Records 1987

King Jammy’s was deep in that sleek late-’80s Kingston dancehall pocket when I Need You came through in 1987, and the riddim carries that cool, clipped energy with enough bounce for the DJs to work it hard. The lineup tells the story: Johnny Osbourne sounds especially at home on “Love Is A Hurting Thing” and “On The Right Track, ” while Cocoa Tea’s “Come Again” and Admiral Bailey’s “Politician” keep the set sharp and conversational. There’s plenty of contrast too, with Cornell Campbell, Josey Wales, Little John, Lt Stitchie, Pinchers and Super Black each pulling a different angle from the same rhythm. In Jammy’s catalogue, this sits right beside the producer’s tougher, more stripped-back digital-era sides, where the hook is less studio gloss than the way the riddim lets every voice cut clean through it.