One Way Riddim – Thompson Sound

Thompson Sound’s One Way Riddim catches that early-’80s roots pressure from the first cut, with a tight run of voices and dubs circling the same tough groove. Johnny Clarke’s “It Dread” sets the tone, then Linval Thompson comes in with “Dreader Than Dread” and “Lump Sum, ” while Prince Alla’s pair keeps the side moving with a more spiritual, weathered edge. The tracklist also leans deep into dub: King Earthquake, Russ D, and Ras Muffet all push the rhythm into murkier territory, so the set never stays in one place for long. Produced under the Thompson Sound banner around 1981, it feels like a concise snapshot of the label’s roots-era discipline, with Johnny Clarke’s cut landing as the sharpest vocal statement.