Skylarking Riddim (2020) – Slam Records

Slam Records dusted off one of reggae’s most durable foundations and gave it a fresh 2020 workout with Skylarking Riddim, a project anchored by Horace Andy’s classic “Skylarking” and shaped as a proper juggling set rather than a one-off single. The release landed on February 7, 2020, and the label name attached to it is Slam Records, a Jamaican imprint with a catalogue that has sat comfortably in the modern reggae and dancehall riddim lane for years.

The title cut matters because Horace Andy’s original “Skylarking” is one of those songs that never loses its pull: plaintive, melodic, and instantly recognizable, with that tender falsetto edge that made Andy such a defining roots voice. Here, the rhythm is kept warm and unhurried, with a laid-back rub-a-dub bounce, clean bass pressure, and enough space for singers to stretch out. It’s the kind of production that nods to vintage Studio One spirit without sounding dusty.

What gives the riddim its shape is the mix of veterans and different vocal approaches. Sizzla brings fire on “Judgement, ” Anthony B turns in a sharp social-side tune on “Love Triangle, ” and George Nooks rides “Tailor Made” with his smooth, seasoned delivery. Anthony Red Rose, Anthony Malvo, Chrisinti, Omar Scott, and Platinum all add contrasting tones, while the pairings of Flourgon with Sugar Minott and Horace Andy with Ras Brando give the set extra weight. The dub version also helps underline how roomy and melodically driven the rhythm is.

It’s a project that works best as a sound-system package: rooted, familiar, and built for repeated plays rather than quick attention.