Magnum Riddim – Steely And Clevie

Steely and Clevie were already locked into their own sharp digital dancehall sound by 1989, and Magnum catches that moment well. The duo’s label is on the sleeve, and the rhythm sits in the run of late-’80s productions that helped define the modern sound of the era. It is a taut, hard-snapping one-riddim set, with the bassline and drums doing the heavy lifting while the voices ride light and quick over the top.

Anthony Red Rose’s Sound Boy is one of the strongest pulls here, full of clash-ready bite, while Beenie Man’s Miss Ooman shows how young he already was in the dance, working a cheeky, easy flow against the rhythm’s lean groove. Johnny P’s Cut Up keeps the energy taut and playful, and Ninjaman’s Heartical Don adds the sort of ragged authority that made him one of the era’s most distinctive deejays. Lady Patra’s Gun Inna Panty Lady gives the riddim a sharper, more daring edge, and Lady Venus’ Best Friend A Gi You Bun brings the set a sly, streetwise twist.

Chevelle Franklyn’s No One In The World and Clement Irie’s Loving widen the palette a little, but the production never loses its late-’80s bite. The version cut, Pick Pocket, closes the circle neatly and leaves the rhythm bare enough to hear how much work Steely and Clevie were doing with so little.