Noah Riddim – H2o Productions

Built around the old Night Nurse rhythm, Noah Riddim comes off as a rootsy 2006 H2O set with a sharper contemporary edge than the name might suggest. Michael “Liquid” Brissett is credited behind the production, and the line-up leans into conscious dancehall and reggae, with Anthony Cruz’s “Informer, ” Delly Ranks’ “Want To Be Free, ” and Lutan Fyah’s “Link Up” carrying the message-heavy side of things. Wayne Marshall’s “The Right Herb” adds a looser, more streetwise turn, while Natural Black’s “Babylon Paper” and Bascom X’s “This World” keep the pressure on with social commentary. There are also two Unknown Artist cuts in the sequence, including “Sweet Jamaica, ” which gives the riddim a slightly rougher archive feel. But it’s Lutan Fyah who leaves the strongest imprint here, riding the groove with the kind of conviction that cuts straight through the arrangement.