Summer Love Riddim (2022) – Jahmento Records

Jahmento Records taps deep into the lovers side of reggae with Summer Love Riddim, a 12-cut juggling built on warmth, melody, and veteran voices. Dennis Howard’s label has long been tied to Jamaica’s reggae lane, and this release sits comfortably in that catalogue with a clean, sentimental approach rather than anything heavy or hard-edged.

The tracklist pulls from proven names across different eras. Anthony Red Rose opens with “All Season Love, ” a fitting lead-in from a singer who broke through in the 1980s and helped define the digital dancehall era. Leroy Sibbles adds gravitas on “Give Me Love Tonight”; as one of the foundational voices and bassmen of the Heptones, he brings the kind of soulful phrasing that instantly deepens a riddim like this. Wayne Wonder’s “Miracle” points to the smoother, radio-ready side of his catalog, while Tanya Stephens gives “Untouched” a sharper, more modern edge. Jack Radics, Pinchers, Mad Cobra, Ruddy Thomas, Benji Myaz, Glenn Ricks, Robert Levy, and Donovan Steele round out the set, keeping the project varied without breaking its mellow flow.

Musically, the riddim rides in a breezy lovers-reggae pocket, with a soft summertime pulse, tidy bassline work, and enough room for each singer to stretch a melody. It is the sort of production that depends on hook strength and vocal character, and Summer Love Riddim gets value from both. The mix of legends and late-period favorites gives it a broad reach, with Sibbles, Wonder, Stephens, and Red Rose doing much of the heavy lifting.