Mayday Riddim – Charm Records

Beeenie Man’s “Ghetto Yout” gives Mayday Riddim its sharpest first impression, and Charm Records frames it with the kind of early-2000s dancehall muscle that suited bigger voices. Beenie Man, Elephant Man, and Sizzla all ride the cut twice here in clean and raw versions, while Vybz Kartel linking with Wayne Marshall on “Highest Grade” adds a sly extra jolt to the set. There’s a nice fit between Charm’s production and Sizzla’s “The Girls Dem, ” where the groove feels taut and militant rather than busy, and that keeps the whole sequence moving with real purpose. The nine-track lineup also leaves space for the bare riddim version at the center, almost like a quick pause before the next pull.