Times Square Riddim – DJ Frass

DJ Frass’s Times Square Riddim landed in 2011 as a clean, digital juggling with a sharp Kingston edge and a quick, modern pulse. Frass, the Jamaican producer behind DJ Frass Records, had already built a name for crisp dancehall and reggae projects that move easily between street singles and full riddim packages, and this one fits neatly into that lane.

The lineup is small but telling: I-Octane opens with “Blood A Go Run, ” Zamunda brings “Chatty Mouth, ” Ce’Cile cuts through with “Priceless, ” Christopher Martin turns in “2012, ” and David “Hizzle” Hayle carries the instrumental. That cast gives the release a nice balance of tough deejay energy and stronger sung melody, which is what gives the riddim its shape.

The track itself has a bright, bouncing framework with enough low-end weight to work in a sound-system setting, but it never gets muddy. It leaves room for each voice to land cleanly, and that is where the riddim’s appeal sits: I-Octane’s warning tone gives it urgency, Zamunda sharpens the chatter-bash angle, Ce’Cile brings attitude and polish, and Christopher Martin’s smoother delivery gives the package a more radio-friendly lift. The instrumental version lets the production breathe and shows how tightly the rhythm is stitched together.

Released in October 2011 and carried as a DJ Frass Records title, Times Square Riddim feels like one of those jukings that was made for steady rotation rather than hype alone. It has the kind of controlled energy that lets the songs do the talking.