Keys Riddim (2017) – Vrb Records

Keys Riddim is the kind of 2017 set that lives on its piano-led pulse, with VRB Records lining up a cast of singers over a bright, lilting reggae groove. Jacqui George’s “Inside My Heart” sits especially well against that arrangement, its gentle melody folding neatly into the riddim’s quick-step feel, while Lytie’s “You Are Everything” and Poppa Biggie’s “Feels Like Love” keep the mood warm and melodic. There’s a nice range across the set too, from Mystic’s “Pirates” to Shadrach’s “Sign of the Times, ” so the project never settles into one shade for too long. VRB even closes out the compilation with its own “Keys Riddim, ” almost like a quick signature at the end.