Masters Blend Riddim – Ja Productions

Out of the 2012 dancehall crop, Masters Blend lands in that sharp, street-ready space where hooks and sheer attitude do most of the heavy lifting. JA Productions lines up ten cuts with nine different voices, and the sequencing keeps the energy bouncing between the slicker radio-ready side and the rougher floor-forward side. Konshens pulls double duty on “Bad Gyal, ” with the radio version smoothing out the edge and the raw take keeping the bite intact, while Million Stylez and Sizzla bring a more melodic, seasoned contrast to the younger names around them. Richie Loop’s “Gyalis Certificate” is the track that leaves the strongest imprint, riding the rhythm with the kind of swagger that gives the whole riddim its title-level confidence.