Taian Riddim – El Predi

Taian Riddim comes in as a straight-up Spanish dancehall set from El Predi, and it’s got that rough, streetwise energy you’d expect from a 2012-era juggling with a regional crew behind it. The hook for me is the range in the cut names: King Der’s “Walking Ass” and Bbk’s “My Grind” sit right alongside the more charged “Don Pistola” from Guelo Star and Latin Fresh’s “Intenso, ” which gives the riddim a gritty, fast-moving feel without drifting too far off course. Notch and Mr. Phillips turn up on “1000 Miles From Panama, ” while Ranks links with Rd Maravilla on “Nos Fuimos Calle, ” adding a little extra weight to the back half. With ten artists and a version cut in the pack, Taian keeps the focus on the rhythm itself and the Panamanian-flavored dancehall moment it was made for.