Sequel Riddim (2017) – Big Link Up Records

2017 was a busy year for mid-tempo dancehall, and Sequel Riddim lands right in that stretch with a taut, hard-driving groove that leaves space for the vocals to cut through. Big Link Up Records keeps the arrangement lean and percussive, with a dark bounce that suits Bartley’s “Nuclear” and Steve Gunna’s “Haffi Gwaan Suh” without ever crowding them. Sky’s “Find It” adds a sharper, more melodic lift, while Zagga’s “Work” closes things out with the kind of no-nonsense delivery that gives the riddim its title real meaning. It’s a small lineup, but the sequencing makes sense, and the instrumental itself carries enough weight to keep the whole set moving.