Just A Riddim – Stingray Records

Compared with the bigger, more familiar Stingray catalogue, Just A Riddim feels like a compact, no-frills vocal set: five cuts, all cut in January 2021, with Nathi Prince and Sone G’s “Round Here, ” Publik Report’s “I’m Not That Guy, ” Sian Lee’s “Dark Cloud, ” Stevie Face’s “Special Girl, ” and Yashema Mcleod’s “I’m Just A Girl” carrying the session. The production stays close to classic reggae-riddim principles, letting the same instrumental bed take different shapes depending on the singer, rather than chasing heavy embellishment. That keeps the focus on the vocal phrasing and the small shifts between tunes, from the tougher edge of Publik Report to the smoother, more melodic turn from Stevie Face. It moves at a steady mid-tempo with a firm bass line and clipped drum pattern, the kind of clean, restrained groove Stingray has long been known for.