Samba Riddim – Various Artists

SAMBA RIDDIM produced by VARIOUS ARTISTS 2007

Four cuts is all Samba Riddim needs to make its point, and the lineup gives it some nice range: Degree on “Box Herself, ” Hawkeye on “Spin Yu Roll, ” T. O. K on “Tonight, ” and Wesley Diamond closing with “Tell Mi A Who. ” The rhythm has that mid-2000s digital-reggae snap, with a lean, danceable pulse rather than anything overly heavy, so the voices can do most of the talking. Hawkeye and T. O. K bring the kind of sharp, streetwise energy that keeps a small juggling moving, while Degree’s opener sets the tone with a cheeky hook. Wesley Diamond’s “Tell Mi A Who” lands as the final vocal, and the absence of a separate instrumental track keeps the focus squarely on the songs themselves.

Samba Riddim Tracklist:

1. Degree – Box Herself
2. Hawkeye – Spin Yu Roll
3. T.O.K – Tonight
4. Wesley Diamond – Tell Mi A Who