The Bandwagon Riddim – Olive Royal Publishing

Olive Royal Publishing’s Bandwagon Riddim lands in that mid-2015 pocket where conscious reggae still had room for a proper singer’s showcase, and this one pulls in a neat spread of voices across ten cuts. Anthony B opens the set with the militant edge of “Done Wid Di War, ” while Chrisinti’s “Let The Freedom Reign” leans into the same rootsy seriousness with a steadier, more reflective touch. The riddim also gives Mr Easy a slyer moment on “She Makes Me Jealous, ” and Little Hero, paired with Pzed and Crazy, keeps things lively on “Leave It Alone. ” There’s no wasted motion here: the lineup moves from calls for peace to relationship trouble and everyday observation, which gives the project a real street-level feel. The last little surprise is how naturally Sheron P and Stephen Souza sit inside the sequence, like they were always meant to be there.