Merry Go Round Riddim (2018) – Ill-Matic Records

Four quick cuts make up Ill-Matic Records’ Merry Go Round Riddim, and that compact lineup keeps the focus on the dancers: Lenkie Frass rides the pattern on “Ready Fi Di Wine, ” while Jah Day’s “Set We Own Trend” and Shadrock’s “Wine and Bubble” lean straight into the slack, party-ready side of the project. It’s a 2018 dancehall juggling with just four artists, so the riddim has room to breathe instead of getting crowded out, and the title suggests the circular, rolling motion that the songs seem built to follow. Ill-Matic keeps the production lean and functional, with each cut aimed at the same waistline-moving pocket, and Lepoard’s “Riggy Ding Ding Ding” adds a sharper, more percussive turn to the set.