Reggae Virus First Dose – Tads Record

Tad’s Record opened Reggae Virus First Dose in June 2021 with a roots-heavy juggling that sits at an easy mid-tempo stride, around the kind of pace that leaves room for singers to stretch phrases and let the riddim breathe. The set runs 14 cuts, with Tad “Junior Tads” Dawkins and the Tad’s Record camp steering the production and the release landing under Tad’s Record Inc. as a 2021 reggae compilation.

The lineup reads like a cross-section of dependable Jamaican voices: Glen Washington sets the tone with “Captured, ” Chezidek brings the conscious uplift on “Let’s Stay Together, ” and Sophia Squire’s “Can’t Be Too Much Love” adds a softer, melodic touch. Screwdriver’s “Never Miss Your Water” and Sanchez’s “Love Is Blind” keep the emotional register high, while Little Hero’s “God Is Amazing” and Anthony Cruz on “Oh Lord” give the project a devotional edge. Mikey Spice, Wayne Wade, Ray Darwin, Junior Fearon and Mykal Rose deepen the roll call, and Dean Fraser’s “First Dose” gives the set a polished instrumental moment before Tad’s own version closes it out.

What makes this one work is the balance between veteran sing-jay polish and straight-up roots sentiment. The melodies stay warm, the bassline sits low and steady, and the whole thing has the feel of a label using a strong riddim to gather trusted voices rather than chase a gimmick. It plays like a proper first chapter, and the name fits the mood: measured, meditative, and made for replay.