Margarita Riddim (2017) – Konsequence Muzik

Konsequence Muzik kept Margarita Riddim in the modern dancehall lane in 2017, with a clean, driving pulse and enough space for both melodic singjay turns and rougher, talk-heavy deliveries. The label is the work of Tristmar Peart, who built Konsequence Muzik from a sound-system background and had already been pressing juggling projects before Margarita landed in the catalogue. The riddim sits alongside earlier Konsequence productions like Kurfew, Summa Escape and Life To Live, which puts it in the middle of an active run rather than as a one-off experiment.

The strongest voices on it come from across the current dancehall and reggae spectrum. Jahmiel brings the kind of smooth, emotionally direct style that made him one of Portmore’s most reliable young voices, and his My Attention fits that lane naturally. Exco Levi brings a cleaner reggae cadence and a more conscious tone on Face Mask, while Khago gives the session some needed grit with It Have Mi. Deep Jahi’s Fight With A Smile adds a firmer roots-minded edge, and Laden’s Tight In Size with Tyra folds melody and swagger into one of the more playful cuts.

What makes Margarita work is the balance. The production has a bright, bouncing feel without sounding thin, and the artists ride it in different ways: some angle for lovers-rock sweetness, others for swagger and street phrasing. That range keeps the juggling lively, especially when G-Loc’s Bend Over and Sim Sim 2 Bad’s Fed Up push the rawer side of the spectrum.