Sniper Riddim (2013) – Ishabingi Records

Sniper Riddim comes in as a lean 11-track dancehall set, but the lineup gives it some bite, with Busy Signal’s “Feel Like” sitting alongside cuts from Ras Kallie, Shaka Pow, Erup and Devoice. The energy is militant rather than glossy: plenty of gunmetal bass, tight percussive drive and that tense, road-ready feel that suits titles like “Stick A Bush, ” “Defend Myself” and “Road Block. ” Ishabingi Records keeps the focus on voicing the riddim hard and direct, and the presence of two Ras Kallie cuts helps give the project a little extra shape. Busy Signal’s “Feel Like” is the name tune that jumps out first, but the closing stretch, capped by Tanto Marijuana’s “Stay With You, ” keeps the momentum rolling right through the last cut.