Vietnam Riddim (2005) – North Pole

Vietnam Riddim cuts with a chilly, hard-edged dancehall pulse that suits North Pole’s title perfectly. Bounty Killer’s “Ice And Cold” sets the tone, but the real spark comes when Capleton and Sizzla step in, their militant delivery riding the same stark, no-frills rhythm with real bite, while Vybz Kartel’s “Gal Dem Lovely” pulls a little more swagger out of the riddim. North Pole kept the cast tight and effective here, with Elephant Man, Spragga Benz and Briggy, and Turbulence all giving it that 2005 bashment pressure; the riddim also turned up on a run of North Pole 7-inches that year, which says plenty about how heavily it was being pushed. One of those cold-toned street sets that still feels locked in its moment, right down to the version tucked at the end.