Tuff Love Riddim – DJ Frass

By 2012, dancehall was deep into the era of sleek, radio-ready riddims with a strong romantic streak, and DJ Frass’ Tuff Love sat right in that lane with a compact five-song set that leaned on melody as much as streetwise sentiment. I-Octane’s “Wine Pon Mi” and Tarrus Riley’s “Love Up Mi Woman” carry the strongest pull here, while Jah Vinci’s “Love A Boil Up” and Bugle’s “Man A Warrior” keep the mood moving between lover’s talk and tougher edges; the production stays bright and tidy, with enough bounce in the drums to keep the whole thing moving without crowding the vocals. Released on September 18, 2012, the EP runs five tracks over 15 minutes, closing with the “Tuff Love Instrumental. ”