Memories Riddim (2017) – DJ Evah Bling Music

Hanging in the mid-2010s dancehall pocket, Memories Riddim from DJ Evah Bling Music lines up eight voiced cuts over a lean, unflashy groove and keeps the focus on the deejays’ hooks rather than studio tricks. Adeeno’s title tune and Devito’s “Memories” give the set its centre, while King Akeem’s “If I Die” and Shexxx’s “Dem Nuh Real” push the more serious edge of the record. The whole thing plays like a compact clash tape: terse chants, direct patois phrasing, and a rhythm section that leaves plenty of space around the vocals. Nothing here is overworked, which is part of the appeal. It stays close to the ground with a steady one-drop-like pulse, dry drums, and a low, rolling bass line that carries the singers and deejays cleanly through.