Storm Alarm Riddim – Special Delivery Music

Special Delivery Music usually aimed straight at rootsy, artist-driven reggae, but Storm Alarm leans a little harder into the crossover zone, with Bost and Bim’s production giving the riddim a taut, digital pulse that still leaves room for conscious singers. Admiral Tibet’s “Natural Vibes” and Luciano’s “Now And Then” carry the weight on the roots side, while Gentleman’s “Rainy Days” points to the release’s wider appeal and helped make the riddim one of the label’s better-known 2004 outings. The set stretches across English and French-speaking voices too, with Alpheus, Tiwony, Little Francky and Tony Rebel all adding their own angle to the pattern. It closes on “Riddim Storm Alarm, ” the instrumental cut that lays bare the sharp drum programming and clipped bassline that hold the whole thing together.