No Vacancy Riddim (2003) – Empress Dyana

Empress Dyana’s No Vacancy Riddim comes off like a small, neatly cut roots set from 2003, with Luciano’s “Jah Can Do” setting the tone in that warm, meditative way he could do so well. Sam Carty’s solo “Don’t Walk Out On Love” and the duet version with Spydaman keep the riddim anchored in lover’s-rock sentiment, while Xtra’s “Mrs. Susu” adds a lighter, slyer turn to the sequence. It’s a short four-track project, which gives the whole thing a more intimate feel than the bigger multi-artist compilations that would come later under the same title, and that’s part of its charm; the music moves with a patient step, no fuss, just the kind of early-2000s reggae session that still leaves a little echo.