Triple X Riddim (2003)

Deep cut. Triple X Riddim lands as a lean 2003 dancehall set with just seven cuts and four voices, leaning hardest on Edwin Charles, who takes four passes through the rhythm with “F In Jam, ” “Kidnap, ” “Take It Out, ” and “Wine. ” Brandon George’s “Money” and Patrick Gordon’s “Hypnotize” keep the energy sharp, while Michelle Sylvester’s “No Vacancy” adds a cooler, more melodic turn in the middle of the sequence. There’s a stripped, early-2000s pressure to the whole thing, the kind of drum-and-bass shuffle that sat comfortably beside the harder-edged dancehall work circulating at the time. Compared with the bigger, busier riddims that would come later in the decade, this one feels tighter and more local in scope, and that’s part of its charm. It’s a compact entry in the 2003 dancehall catalogue, built for selectors who like their riddims direct and unpolished.