Virgin Riddim – Artistic

This Virgin Riddim comes off more like a lean, no-frills dancehall set than some of Artistic’s more crowded or flashy compilations, and that’s part of the charm. Dugsy Ranks’ “If Yuh Sure” has that clipped, confident toast over a tight pull-up-ready groove, while Johnny P’s “Hits After Hits” leans into the kind of self-assured party chatter that made him such a dependable voice in the era. Ricky General’s “Dub War” brings a rougher edge, with the title alone hinting at the clash-heavy energy running through the riddim, and the version cut keeps the whole thing moving without overplaying its hand. It’s a short tracklist, just three vocal cuts plus the instrumental, but that format suits this kind of rare ragga flashback nicely.