The Blue Note Riddim – Various Artists

THE BLUE NOTE RIDDIM produced by VARIOUS ARTISTS 2011

The Blue Note Riddim sits a little apart from the brighter, more obvious dancehall jugglings of 2011, with a tougher Trinidadian edge and a compact five-artist spread that keeps the focus tight. Ironik, Joe Militant, Lincoln, Squeezy Rankin, and Statik all get multiple cuts or solo turns, and the “edit” and “raw” versions on tracks like “Like Yuh Style, ” “Bend Over, ” and “Confessions Pt. 2” point to a riddim built for selector use as much as casual listening. The production leans on a clipped step and a deep, rolling bassline, with the drums staying spare enough to leave room for the vocals to carry the tension. Statik’s “We Wah Money” closes it out neatly, a sharp, money-minded cut that fits the riddim’s stripped, hard-edged pulse.

The Blue Note Riddim Tracklist:

1. Ironik – Like Yuh Style (Edit)
2. Ironik – Like Yuh Style (Raw)
3. Joe Militant – Bend Over (Edit)
4. Joe Militant – Bend Over (Raw)
5. Lincoln – Take It (Edit)
6. Lincoln – Take It (Raw)
7. Squeezy Rankin – Baby Daddy
8. Squeezy Rankin – Confessions Pt.2 (Edit)
9. Squeezy Rankin – Confessions Pt.2 (Raw)
10. Statik – We Wah Money