Spitfire Riddim (2011) – Bombrush Records

Out of the 2011 dancehall crop, Bombrush Records’ Spitfire Riddim feels like a sharply cut mid-year set with enough crossover names to keep it moving. Bay C and Blak Diamon open the field with “Nuh Touch Up, ” and the double take on Stein’s “Neat” gives the juggling a nice bit of symmetry, while Mavado and Chase Cross on “Burning Up” and Wayne Marshall on “Make A Toast” bring the heavyweight pull. The riddim itself leans lean and punchy rather than overworked, which suits the mix of street-facing tunes and party records from Erup, Monster Twinz, Sleepy Hallowtips and Versatile. Coming after Bombrush’s earlier dancehall work, it sits comfortably in the label’s 2011 run: a compact, vocal-heavy set with 17 tracks and no wasted space.