Kenyan Empress Riddim – Abra Records

Kenyan Empress Riddim came out of Abra Records’ Riddim Africa push in 2013, and it sits in that bright, mid-tempo dancehall pocket where the bass stays firm while the melodies lean more toward a continental, crossover feel. Jusa Dementor handles the production and appears on the closing version cut, while the vocal run gives the project its shape, with Winky D’s “Munhu Wacho, ” The Tytan’s title track, and Jusa Dementor and Nick Cavalli’s “Pon The Dancefloor” among the strongest pulls. It’s a busy compilation, but the sequencing keeps the energy moving from love tunes to streetwise cuts and dancefloor talk without losing its center. The release runs 20 tracks deep, including the instrumental version at the end.