Vessel Riddim – Gussie P Records

Down in the 2018 run of reggae riddims, Vessel comes across like a compact roots set with a dub-minded edge, and Gussie P keeps the focus tight across just six cuts. Trevor Junior’s “Two Ends Meet” and Robbie Valentine’s “Long Long Road” set the human, reflective tone, while Don Fe’s “Empress Menen Melody” pulls the attention toward more devotional ground. The Jahkey All Stars deepen the record with three passes, and their “The Vessel Dub” is the one that really changes the temperature, pushing the riddim into echo and space without losing its forward motion. That little cluster of dub versions gives the release its shape, but the strongest final impression is the plainspoken force of Trevor Junior’s opener, which lays the foundation with enough weight to carry the whole set.