Visionary Riddim – Fizzle Records

Back in 2012, Fizzle Records lined up Visionary Riddim as a compact reggae set with a sharp little cast and a clear ear for everyday themes rather than big studio fireworks. The opener from Boobinile, “Shes My Baby, ” and Eyesus and Tonya P’s “Control Me” give it a lovelorn edge, while Faze’s “Nay Trust No Girl” and Patrice’s “Handcuff” push the mood into wary relationship territory. There’s also some money-talk in 5 Star’s “Money Is In The Air, ” which keeps the project grounded in the kind of streetwise subject matter that anchored a lot of early-2010s rootsy dancehall and reggae output. With nine cuts in all, including Fizzle’s own version at the end, the riddim sits neatly in the label’s 2012 catalogue as a focused showcase of that period’s smaller-but-tighter one-riddim style.