The Levi Riddim – Roots Garden Records

Roots Garden Records’ Levi Riddim leans into the kind of rootsy, meditative pulse that suits a conscious set of voices rather than a big dancehall cut. Ava Leigh’s “Over The Bridge” opens things with a light, reflective touch, while Jah Mali’s “Jah Works We Tek Up” and the Luciano/Ras Zacharri pairing on “River Jordan” push the riddim deeper into uplift and spiritual movement. Manasseh keep the instrumental side in motion with both the straight Levi Rhythm and a dub mix version, and that extra space gives the arrangement a murkier, more echo-soaked feel. Released in 2007, it sits right in that period when UK-rooted reggae productions were keeping the tradition alive with clean digital edges and heavyweight bass, but still leaving room for songs with message and restraint.