Quench Thirst Riddim – GARUTH INC

Starting with just three cuts, Quench Thirst Riddim stays direct, and that’s part of its charm: Garth Stewart’s production from 2013 draws on a clean, mid-tempo dancehall groove that leaves plenty of room for the vocals to do the heavy lifting. Kemmikal’s “That Na Right” comes off like the sharpest answer on the set, all attitude and neat phrasing, while Lehai and L. I. Zee turn “I Need Your Loving” into the softer counterweight, bringing a more melodic pull to the riddim. Munga’s “Gallis Ina My Team” then snaps it back to straight dancehall business, which gives the whole project a nice push-pull feel. It landed early in the year of dancehall riddim releases, before Garth Stewart’s name started popping up again under the Garuth Inc banner.