Im A Soldier Riddim – Various Artists

Compared with the more polished, name-heavy one-riddim packages that were coming out around that time, Im A Soldier Riddim keeps its focus on the song material and a lean cast of voices. The cut from Einstein leads with a stern, militant lift, while Hi Light’s “The Story Part 1” and Faze’s “Money Mi Seh” lean into the social-realist side of the rhythm, giving the project a tougher edge than its title might suggest. There’s also a bit of crossover energy in Elly D’s “We Need Some Love” with Faze, which softens the mood without losing the riddim’s forward drive. By the time the instrumental “Version” closes things out, the project has already laid out a compact slice of 2008 roots-and-conscious dancehall.