Mellow Mystic Riddim – Silent Mode Entertainment

Back in 2012, when roots and digital reggae were still sharing plenty of common ground, Silent Mode Entertainment cut Mellow Mystic Riddim as a lean eight-cut juggling with a calm, head-nodding pulse rather than anything aggressively bashy. Anthony B’s “Sweet Maria, ” Lutan Fyah’s “Can’t Stop Mi, ” and Teflon’s “Day In Day Out” are the names that jump out first, each riding the same laid-back groove with a different shade of emphasis, while Warrior King closes the set with “No No No No No” in a way that keeps the mood steady right to the end. It’s the kind of riddim that leaves room for the vocals to carry the emotion, with the instrumental doing its job quietly and confidently underneath.