Kickdown Riddim – Jugglerz Records

Jugglerz Records leans on Beenie Man to open Kickdown Riddim with the kind of name power that immediately frames the whole juggling, and “Hands Up” has the snap you’d expect from a riddim aimed squarely at the dance. Around him, the cast keeps it firmly in party mode: Konshens rides “Ultimate Party Song, ” Elephant Man cuts loose on “Wine Up, ” Charly Black keeps the flames lit with “Fire Fi Blaze, ” and the Etzia and Fambo pairing adds a cheekier edge on “Blaze and Rum. ” The 2012 set also pulls in Cali P, Ward 21, Teacha Dee, Junior Carl, TriXstar and TKZ, so the release moves through swagger, toast-and-boast energy, and a few sharper one-liners without losing its bounce. But Beenie Man’s “Hands Up” is the tune that sets the tone and leaves the strongest stamp.