Ready Riddim – Various Artists

The Ready Riddim lands right in that mid-2000s dancehall pocket where the beat is meant for rewinds, clashes, and quick-fire one-drop hooks, with a sharp, propulsive pulse that leaves room for the deejays to cut through. Jacko Style’s “Ready Riddim Remix” sets the tone, while Akon’s “Locked Up (Remix)” gives the set an unusually international angle before Assassin, Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, Spraaga Benz, T. O. K. , and Vybz Kartel pile on with the kind of hard-edged chat and party energy that kept dancehall moving in 2005. The Kartel cut and Bounty Killer’s “Target (Remix)” feel like the obvious magnets here, but the whole package reflects a moment when riddim albums were still the quickest way to capture the street sound in one place.