Rain Drops Riddim (2003) – Fire Fountain Productions

Rain Drops Riddim has that early-2000s heavyweight swing, with Fire Fountain Productions lining up a tight 2003 set that moves from the swagger of Beenie Man, Sean Paul and Vybz Kartel’s “Girls Galore” to tougher turns from Bounty Killer, Buju Banton and Capleton. The cut that really catches the ear is Tanya Stephens’ “Tonight, ” because it eases into the same rhythm with a cooler, more melodic touch and shows how neatly this production can hold different voices without losing its bite. There’s a nice contrast too between the blunt-force deejay energy on “War Only” and the sharper, singjay phrasing elsewhere, which gives the riddim a little more colour than a straight dancehall juggle. Eight tracks in all, and it still feels like one of those releases that had a proper clip to it.