Poetry Riddim – All Connect Records

Lutan Fyah’s “All Gone” gives Poetry Riddim its sharpest edge, and that’s fitting for a 2012 showcase from All Connect Records that leans into roots reggae with a mournful, meditative pulse. The cut carries the kind of sober, late-night weight that suits Natty King’s “Life, ” Chezidek’s “Talk, ” and Lukie D’s “Only A Woman, ” while Shadow, Determine, and Fyah Konkarah keep the mood heavy with songs about struggle, loss, and life in the ghetto. Indeisha and Benjahmyn bring a softer, more melodic touch so the set doesn’t sit in one register for too long, and the version at the end lets the rhythm breathe on its own. Released in October 2012, it sits right in that era when conscious one-riddim sets were still a sturdy way to gather a strong crew around a deeply voiced foundation.