Tad’s Record Presents: Outside Jam

By the time Busy Signal kicks off “No Problem, ” Outside Jam is already leaning into a tight, yard-style dancehall swing, with Tad’s Record keeping the arrangement lean enough for the voices to do the talking. The set runs ten tracks in all and, for a 2021 juggling, it reaches into a neat cross-section of the scene: Konshens rides “Rocking In Di Dance” with clipped authority, Maxi Priest smooths out “Dream Maker, ” and Vybz Kartel’s “Yabba Dabba Doo” and the Sikka Rhymes feature on “Gaza Run the World” add the sharper, more mischievous edge. Randy Valentine gets two turns, while Tarrus Riley and Suga Roy and The Fire Ball Crew bring a steadier roots-minded lift on “Say A Prayer For Me. ” It’s the kind of riddim where the low end stays heavy, the drums stay dry, and the whole thing moves at a brisk mid-tempo pace that leaves plenty of room for the hooks.