New Libi Riddim – Harder Records

Harder Records’ New Libi Riddim lands in the 2014 dancehall run with eight cuts and no wasted space, the kind of compact juggling that keeps the focus on the voices rather than any grand studio mythology. The names here move with a raw, local energy: Deelstar’s “Baby Saii Gwan So” opens the set, Filman slips into the cheeky “You De So Sexi In Me Eye, ” and Helty G Money and King Black push the phrasing into that rough-edged, streetwise zone dancehall fans know well. There’s a loose, humorous thread running through the whole thing, but the strongest pull comes from the more memorable turns in the second half, where Man Bollo’s “Newnew Libi Gendee” and Respect Man’s “Meke Kee Moo” give the riddim its sharpest aftertaste.