Lonely Riddim – Techniques

In the Techniques catalogue, Lonely Riddim sits in that early-’80s stretch where Winston Riley was keeping the label’s sound lean, bassy, and geared for the dance, and this one comes in as a spare three-cut set from 1980. The groove stays rooted in roots reggae, with the instrumental version carrying the weight and space while Sanchez’s “Lonley” and Thriller’s “U Just Once” ride it in a more direct, singer-driven style. Sanchez is the name that jumps out here, but the whole thing hangs on how little Riley leaves to waste; the rhythm line does the talking and the arrangement never gets crowded. It closes out exactly how it should, with “U Just Once” leading back into the lonely instrumental feel that defines the riddim.