The Pond Riddim – Vinnie Vii

Vinnie Vii’s 2014 Pond Riddim arrives with that old-school lovers rock sway, but there’s a modern one-drop pulse under it that keeps the bassline front and center. The set is lean, only four cuts, and that’s part of the charm: Empress Tetteh’s “Jah Is Love” leans into devotional sweetness, Kimberley SK’s “Stroke You Up” tilts the mood toward smoother, more intimate territory, and Myer’s “Sleepless Nights” brings the late-night ache that gives the riddim its emotional weight. Vinnie Vii closes the circle with the title cut, and the arrangement around the voices makes it feel more like a carefully chosen session than a throwaway compilation. The strongest pull here is Empress Tetteh’s “Jah Is Love, ” which sits right in the pocket and sets the tone for the whole release.