Power House Presents: Various Artists

Power House’s 1980s catalogue is one of those deep roots-to-dancehall corridors where you can hear the label’s transition in real time, and this Various Artists set sits right in that pocket. The lineup runs from Big Youth and U Roy to Half Pint, Cutty Ranks, Noel Ellis, Ruddy Thomas, Tinga Stewart and the Steely and Clevie cut, so you’re getting that late-period Power House mix of veteran voices and harder-edged dancehall phrasing. The riddim itself has that stripped, studio-built feel typical of the era: tight drums, a wiry bass line, and a bright, almost skeletal keyboard figure that leaves plenty of room for the singers and deejays. “Upon The Roof” is the clear anchor here, especially with Tinga Stewart and Tiger working the melody against the rhythm’s clipped forward motion, and the whole set keeps its energy in a mid-tempo sway rather than pushing for speed.