Smart Riddim – Royal Order Music

A mellow, rootsy reggae groove carries Smart Riddim, with enough clean polish to keep the vocals front and center while still leaving room for the rhythm section to breathe. Royal Order Music lines up Kelissa, Marla Brown, Gappy Ranks with Torch, King Mas and Jah Bami across the cut, and the strongest pull comes from the contrast between Kelissa’s uplift on “Keep My Head Up” and Gappy Ranks’ more direct turn on “Barefoot. ” The set landed on April 14, 2015, and runs as a tight seven-song digital package, which fits the label’s habit of keeping its riddims concise rather than overstuffed. Coming after the same crew’s Social Riddim a year later, this one sits nicely in Royal Order Music’s run of voice-led reggae projects with a polished, contemporary edge.

Smart Riddim Tracklist:

1. Kelissa – Keep My Head Up
2. Marla Brown – Better Days
3. Gappy Ranks – Barefoot Feat. Torch
4. King Mas – Reflection
5. Jah Bami – What Can You Do

APPLE MUSIC STREAM