Piper Riddim – Various Artists

PIPER RIDDIM produced by VARIOUS ARTISTS 2004

Quick-hitting and brash, Piper Riddim rolls out a seven-cut dancehall set in 2004 with a nice mix of veterans and then-current heat, from Anthony B’s “Big Up Di Ooman” and Macka B’s “Gyal Dem Roll Call” to Vybz Kartel’s clipped “Mi Nuh Inna Nuttin” and Galaxy P’s war-ready “If A War. ” There’s no overworking the idea here: the rhythm keeps a tight, propulsive feel, so the songs hit like straight soundsystem business rather than a concept project. Kartel’s cut is the one that jumps out hardest, but Pinchers and Steve Flex help keep the energy moving without crowding the lane. Coming in the same year dancehall was flooding the market with single-riddim sets, this one sits neatly in that early-2000s catalogue of lean, no-frills juggling built for selectors.

Piper Riddim Tracklist:

1. Anthony B – Big Up Di Ooman
2. Galaxy P – If A War
3. Macka B – Gyal Dem Roll Call
4. Pinchers – Dont Disturb Me
5. Steve Flex – Party
6. Vybz Kartel – Mi Nuh Inna Nuttin
7. Wicked Worker – Live Clean