Sky Altitude Riddim – Various Artists

Sky Altitude Riddim comes off more like a lean 2012 juggling than some big-name producer showcase, with seven cuts and a small, sharp lineup that keeps the energy moving. Versatile’s “Straight” is the track that jumps out first, riding the rhythm with a clipped, no-nonsense delivery, while Rose Gold’s “Youths Dem Suffering” gets a second life in both clean and raw versions, which gives the riddim a little extra bite. Squaddy’s “Tik Tok” and Dane Ray’s “Punaany” keep the tone squarely in dancehall territory, all quick-twitch lyrics and street-level attitude. With six artists across the seven tracks, it’s the kind of early-2012 release that sat comfortably in the mix of that period, when compact riddims and fast-turnaround voicings were still very much the order of the day.