New Baby Riddim – Pure Music Productions

Pure Music Productions had a sharp, playful run on New Baby Riddim, and this 2015 juggling still feels like one of those dancehall sets designed to catch attention fast. The rhythm mixes a bright, bouncy kick with pizzicato string flourishes and little melodic twists that pull in a touch of oriental and classical colour without losing the street feel. It moves with a quick, clean groove that keeps the floor in mind, but there’s enough character in the arrangement to stop it from sounding generic.

Delly Ranx is the name most closely tied to the project, and that makes sense: he has long been one of dancehall’s more reliable multi-talented figures, moving between artist and producer work under the Pure Music banner. On this set he gives different voices room to shape the same riddim in different ways. Da’Ville’s New Baby is the natural anchor, with his smooth, sentimental delivery giving the project its title and a softer centre. Bugle’s We Nuh Fruity brings a harder edge, while Norris Man’s Rusty Nail and Ranx’s own Blaze Up Di Trees tap into the kind of rootsy, herb-friendly energy that keeps the juggling rooted in Jamaican dancehall even as the arrangement reaches wider. Demarco’s Feel Good remix with Supa Blackrose adds extra bounce, and Chukki Starr, Ras Charmer and Capital D each help widen the palette.

What makes New Baby work is the balance between novelty and usability. It has enough melodic flair to feel different, but it still carries the kind of rhythm pressure selectors can run in a dance.