Riddim 21 (2017) – Ireland Records

Riddim 21 comes through as a tight 12-track dancehall set with a strong local cast and a clean little hook: Beenie Man’s “Party, ” Dexta Daps’ “21, ” and Raine Seville’s “Bad and Boujie” give it most of its pull, while the duplicated raw and radio-friendly versions point to a label thinking about both dance and airplay. David Ireland’s Ireland Records opened its run with this project in 2017, and the tempo sits in that fast, rolling zone that leaves plenty of room for catchy one-drop-style chatter and patter. Vershon’s “Bicycle” and Tali O’s “Gal U Hot” keep the energy up, but it’s the Beenie Man and Dexta Daps cuts that give the riddim its real face.