New Game Riddim – First Name Music

A taut, mid-tempo dancehall pulse drives New Game Riddim, with a clean, polished swing that leaves room for the vocals to do their work. First Name Music keeps the whole set to five tracks and a tight 17 minutes, and the balance is pretty pointed: Vybz Kartel gets two passes at “Likkle More, ” one clean and one raw, while Deep Jahi’s “Party” and Zagga’s “Dream a Million” keep the energy more street-level and less polished. That Kartel double-up is the obvious move here, but the riddim also gets a useful counterweight from Zagga, who rides the beat with a sharper, more melodic touch. It’s the instrumental cut that closes the package, though, and the strongest imprint comes from Kartel’s “Likkle More, ” which gives the riddim its sharpest hook and the tracklist its clearest centre of gravity.