Some Like It Hot Riddim – Penthouse Records

Kingston’s Penthouse camp was still deep in its early-2000s groove when Some Like It Hot landed in 2004, and the riddim has that polished, midtempo swing Donovan Germain was so good at: warm bass, clipped drums, and just enough snap to keep the groove moving without rushing it. Freddie McGregor sets the tone with “Well Cold, ” while Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica bring the rootsier side of the set, turning in “Never Get Me Down” and “What Is Life” with the kind of uplift and plainspoken edge that suits the rhythm well. Mafia and Fluxy’s title cut adds a slick instrumental pull, and the version at the end lets the arrangement breathe. It’s a neat snapshot of Penthouse in 2004, when conscious reggae and radio-friendly polish were sitting comfortably in the same lane.