Old Friends Riddim – Island Yard Prod.

Island Yard Prod. pulled together a roots-heavy juggling in 2015 with Old Friends Riddim, and the title fits the cast: veteran voices, conscious singjays, and a few combinations that give the set extra lift. Anthony B comes in with the kind of social-fire delivery he built his name on, while Exco Levi, a Jamaican-born, Canada-based reggae artist known for sharp, timely writing, rides the rhythm with Hide Under Locks. Turbulence adds pressure with Opportunist, and Natural Black brings a darker tone on In The Cold, keeping the riddim grounded in real-life struggle rather than party chatter.

Lukie D’s Real Love gives the project a smoother, melodic turn, and Tanto Metro and Devonte bring some familiar dancehall chemistry to There She Goes. Nesbeth and Chrisinti’s How Come works well as a duet, while Shanty B, Agent, Kananga, Kirk Davis, Morgan I, Tasha T and Patchy fill out the set with tunes that move between uplift, warning and hard-earned reflection. Patchy’s Old Friends closes the circle neatly, tying the whole project back to the idea of memory, loyalty and distance.

The riddim itself has that sturdy mid-tempo reggae pulse that leaves room for melody without losing weight. It feels conscious rather than glossy, with enough movement in the arrangement to carry both straight-ahead vocalists and more conversational deejay cuts. It is the kind of juggling that works because the songs are asked to do the talking, and several of them do exactly that.