Makeba Riddim – Hot78 Records

Hot78 Records keeps the Makeba Riddim lean and focused with seven cuts from seven voices, and the names tell you the lane right away: Fantan Mojah, Perfect Giddimani, Devano, Jahricio, Niceness, Oteezy, and Jah Cow with El Bicho on “Feeling Lonely. ” It’s a straight reggae set rather than a sprawling compilation, which suits the production’s tidy pulse and uncluttered arrangement. The riddim sits in that warm, mid-tempo pocket where the drum pattern stays steady and the bass line does most of the talking, leaving room for each singer to ride the groove without crowding it. Fantan Mojah’s “Sunshine” and Perfect Giddimani’s “Chilli Hot” give the project its sharpest push, but the whole thing hangs together on that sober, rootsy swing and the firm low end underneath.