Renegade Riddim – Various Artists

Renegade Riddim is a tiny, sharp little 2007 dancehall set, just two cuts deep, and that lean shape gives it a certain pull. Magalight’s “Jalousie” and Princess Melody’s “Flexing In Da Club” are the only voices on it, so the whole thing hangs on attitude and cut, with Princess Melody’s club-minded tune sitting right in the pocket of a producer credit that’s simply listed as Various Artists. It feels like the kind of compact street release that gets remembered more for the mood than the roll call, all punchy drums and quick-hit energy rather than any big assembly of names. Even the title has that slightly rough-edged, under-the-radar feel, which suits a riddim with only two tracks and no wasted space.