Ska! Re-lived Riddim 2018 Stainless Music

Stainless Music kept Ska! Re-lived Riddim moving at a brisk 131-132 BPM, and that tempo gives the set a sharp, skanking lift rather than a sleepy roots feel. Tessanne Chin’s “This Could Be Love” and Busy Signal’s “D. T. T. M (Dance To The Music)” sit right at the centre of it, with Spragga Benz, Gyptian and Lutan Fyah all working the same tight framework without crowding the rhythm. The title says a lot: this is a nod to ska’s older bounce filtered through contemporary reggae production, more revival than museum piece. Compared with some of Stainless Music’s heavier dancehall work, this one leans lighter on its feet and more melodic, which suits the mix of voices nicely. It fits neatly into the label’s catalogue as one of those crossover riddims built for selectors who want a quick, live-wire groove with enough hook songs to keep it spinning.