Motion Picture Riddim (2008) – Imperial Productions

Motion Picture Riddim leans on a late-2000s dancehall cast that knows how to work a rough-edged juggling, with Alley Cat, Hawkeye, Mr Lexx and Heather Cummings among the voices cutting through the noise. Imperial Productions keeps the thing busy and streetwise, and the tracklist swings from party-forward cuts like Tornado’s “When We Party” and Boom Dandymite’s “Wine Up Yu Body” to the tougher talk on Scorpion’s “Them Youths Yah” and G Maffiah’s “Nutten But Granz. ” There’s a nice bit of contrast too, with Mr Lexx’s “Stand Up In Love” and Heather Cummings’ “Club Confessions” pulling a more playful, flirtatious edge into the mix. By the time Hawkeye gets to “No Ice Cream Love, ” the riddim has settled into its own sharp, jumpy pulse, and that tune leaves the cleanest mark.