Palestine Riddim – Irie Sounds International

Irie Sounds International usually keeps its feet planted in straight-ahead roots and one-drop business, and Palestine Riddim sits right in that lane, but with a harder, more austere feel than some of the label’s later juggling work. Produced by James “Dr. Suess” Lord and released in September 2016, it lines up eight voices across the same lean framework, with Bugle’s “Choice Is Yours, ” Prezident Brown’s “Soul Skank, ” and Yami Bolo’s “Jah is In His Kingdom” doing some of the heaviest lifting. The cut has that Roots Radics-style skeleton: dry drums, a deep bass line that stays front and center, and guitar skank tucked in close rather than stretched out. At 76 BPM, it moves at an easy, steady walk, leaving the singers plenty of room to work the melody and message.