Irits Riddim – Very Huge Records

From the 2006 reggae batch, Irits Riddim comes in as a roots-heavy Very Huge Records set with 11 cuts and a deep bench of singers and veterans. Gregory Isaacs’ “Run Away Slave” gives the project its most familiar weight, while Luciano’s “Never Forget Your Roots” and Natural Black’s “Weh Yuh Deh Pon” keep the message straight and serious. Big Youth turns up twice, once alongside Andrew Bees on “People Get Ready” and again on “Three Blind Mice, ” which helps give the riddim a link between old-school authority and newer voices like Alley Cat, King Prof, and Yvonne Sterling. The backdrop is that mid-2000s era when conscious reggae still had room for a full juggling set, and this one sits in that lane with a steady, earthy pulse rather than any flashy studio tricks.