Killy Killy Bolt Riddim – Illmatic Records

Killy Killy Bolt comes across as a lean, mid-tempo dancehall set with a no-nonsense edge, the kind of rhythm bed that leaves room for the artists to come with attitude rather than ornament. Marly B’s “Gal Yuh Nuh Easy” is the cut that jumps out first, and the fact that it appears in both full and radio edit form tells you Illmatic Records had a clear ear for pushing it. Wiseman, Shadrock, Tollerance, Lytaral, Chapter, and Night Hawk keep the energy taut, moving from tougher street talk to sharper melodic hooks without ever letting the groove sag. Issued in 2017 and credited to Illmatic Records, the set closes with the instrumental, which strips everything back and lets that sparse, driving riddim do the talking.