Mad Rass Riddim – Smoke Shop Studioz

Captain Barkey gives Mad Rass Riddim some immediate pull with “Nuh Like Dem, ” a sharp reminder of how easily he could cut through a juggling when the hook had bite. Smoke Shop Studioz keep the set moving with 12 tracks and a nice mix of voices, from Anthony Malvo’s smooth “Pretty Like Roses” to Michie Mee’s harder-edged “Bad Gyal Bubble” and Chuckleberry’s old-school-minded “Ol Skool Medley. ” There’s a lean, rough dancehall energy to the whole thing, the kind of 2012 studio traffic that leaves room for personality rather than polish, and the Malvo family presence adds a little extra thread between cuts. Released on November 13, 2012, it’s one of those riddims you trip over and end up replaying for the odd corners as much as the big names.