Rodeo Zone Riddim – Markus Records

Rodeo Zone Riddim arrived in 2015 from Markus Records, the imprint run by Markus Myrie, and it sits right in the lane he has been carving out with hard-edged modern dancehall productions. The set was released digitally through 21st Hapilos, and the version that circulated carried 14 vocal cuts plus the instrumental, with clean and raw mixes for several songs.

The rhythm has that glossy, uptempo 2015 dancehall feel: brisk drums, bright synth movement, and a bounce that leaves plenty of space for rider-style patter and outright slackness. It is more party-yard than rootsy, and the title makes the mood obvious enough. The verses tend to work off money, gal, and bravado, with the production giving each singer and deejay a sharp, clipped pocket to work in.

The strongest names here are I-Octane, D’Angel, Tifa, Macka Diamond, Kalado, Laden, and Gage. I-Octane’s “Come Fi Di Gold” brings the kind of commanding singjay tone he built his name on, while D’Angel’s “Gimmi Likkle More” and Macka Diamond’s “Find Di Gold” tap into the confident, adult-centred dancehall energy both artists have long carried. Tifa’s “Nuh Deady Deady” and Kalado’s “Appealing” add the harder, flirtatious side of the juggling, while Laden and Gage keep the rhythm in more overtly streetwise territory.

The project is also notable for the range of voices Markus threads through it, from Bryka and D’ East to Jahazeil Myrie, King James, Negus, Ninja Kid, and Versatile. That mix gives Rodeo Zone Riddim enough movement to feel like a proper juggling tape rather than a simple compilation.