The Healing Riddim (2009) – Jermaine Johnson

Jermaine Johnson’s The Healing Riddim sits in that 2009 roots-reggae space where the songs lean on uplift and testimony, with Abijah’s Children Of Tomorrow, Jah Mason’s Your Life and Gyptian’s Stomp It Hard among the cuts that give the set its shape. The rhythm carries a steady, mid-tempo pulse that leaves room for the singers to stretch out, while Frankie Paul’s Little Chepe and Junior Cat’s Lord And Saviour Christ add a different edge in the middle of the sequence. Stretch turns up twice, with Stay Strong and Waiting For Me, and Delly Ranx closes it out on the title tune, which keeps the project anchored to the same reflective mood. In all, the release runs to 12 tracks and 11 artists, with production credited to Jermaine Johnson.