The Heat Riddim – Sir Coxsone

A tough, steamy late-’80s one-riddim set, The Heat Riddim comes on with that stripped-back digital-era pulse and a lean, tense groove that leaves plenty of room for the vocals to cut through. Sir Coxsone keeps the tracklist moving with a tidy sequence of vocal cuts and a single version plate, so you get Conrad Crystal twice, plus sharp turns from Daddy Freddy, Lukie D, Quench Aid, and a Sanchez highlight on “Joy, ” which sits near the end and feels like the anchor here. There’s also a duet cut with Stingman on “Hello Josephone” and a Firehouse Crew version to break up the singers. The set is credited to Sir Coxsone and dates to 1989, with 10 tracks and 9 unique artists.