Sans Plomb Riddim – Various Artists

2012 was still a busy stretch for Francophone dancehall, and Sans Plomb Riddim sits right in that pocket with a lean, percussion-forward beat and a street-level bounce that leaves room for sharp patois hooks and fast-talking cut-ins. The set leans more rugged than glossy: Rott Mc’s “Ou En Betiz, ” Panik J’s “No Diss, ” and Setsa’s “Bubble Up” keep the energy clipped and confrontational, while tunes like Mikla Seen’s “Drop It Dong” and Al Krimynal’s “Wine Sur La Piste” push the riddim into party mode without softening it. What really gives the project shape is how the voices stack up against the same bare-bones pulse, each artist trying to out-ride the next. The last stretch, ending with X Man’s “Vis Apres Vice, ” keeps that tension intact and leaves the instrumental feeling like it could keep rolling long after the vocals cut.