Simply Amazing Riddim – Desert Money Records

Desert Money Records framed Simply Amazing Riddim as a clean, rootsy vocal set in 2013, and the title fits the mood. The rhythm has a soft, romantic sway rather than a hard dancehall shove, with the kind of mid-tempo pulse that leaves room for melody, phrasing and sentiment. It is the sort of one-riddim package that works best when the singers can keep the emotion moving, and this one does exactly that.

Gyptian’s “Forever” is the obvious anchor. By 2013 he was already known for that smooth, radio-friendly Jamaican singjay style that made him one of the more accessible voices of his era, and he slides naturally into the tender feel here. Sizzla’s “You and I” adds a stronger roots edge, with his unmistakable forceful delivery giving the riddim a little more lift. Jah Mason, long associated with conscious, spiritually grounded reggae, brings that same upright tone to “Oceans Are Wide. ” Ikaya’s “Ease My Pain” gives the set one of its most affecting turns; her voice has always carried a strong, feminine seriousness, and she sounds right at home on a song of release and recovery.

The rest of the juggling keeps the mood consistent without becoming repetitive. Morris Alan’s title cut, Craig Jackson’s “All Alone, ” J’Renee’s “Can’t Keep A Good Woman Down, ” Jahmor’s “Try My Love, ” Teflon’s “Just For Themselves, ” and Suhverto’s “Real Love” all stay close to the same emotional center: love, endurance, and the bruises that come with both. It is a neat 10-track set that sits comfortably in the early-2010s reggae lane, polished but not overworked.