Rough Road Riddim (2013) – Green Lion Crew

Green Lion Crew’s Rough Road Riddim cuts a little wider than the group’s usual rootsier reggae lane, pushing hip-hop, dub and a touch of electronic texture into the mix without losing its rebel-song core. Chronixx’s “Life Over Death” is the obvious anchor here, but Kabaka Pyramid’s “Liberal Opposer” and Jahdan Blakkamoore’s “Life Is Greater” keep the momentum high, each riding the riddim’s tense, rolling pulse with sharp lyrical focus. The production has that rough-edged, streetwise feel the title promises, with enough space in the arrangement for the vocals to hit hard while the low end stays heavy underneath. Released in 2013, the set runs six cuts deep, rounding out with Dre Island, Cronsyncro and Zamunda.