Queen Majesty Riddim (2016) – Stingray

Stingray keeps the Queen Majesty name moving here with a compact three-track reggae set that leans more lovers rock than hard-edged dancehall, and the whole thing hangs on the kind of warm, melodic vocal writing that suits the title’s old-school weight. Kareem Shabazz opens with “Queen Majesty, ” Sandra Cross trims things back nicely on “24, ” and Yashema’s “Guide Me” closes the circle with a more devotional touch. It’s a short riddim, but that works in its favor: there’s no filler, just three voices playing different angles against the same polished framework. Sandra Cross, though, is the one who lingers longest, turning “24” into the tune that gives the riddim its emotional centre.