War Machine Riddim – Kingston Elite Studios

Kingston Elite Studios’ 2011 War Machine Riddim comes in with that sharp, militant edge you expect from the title, but it’s the vocal cut by cut approach that makes it fun to dig through. Masicka’s “Real Badman” is the one that jumps out first, while Shokryme’s “Bad People” and Chase Cross’s “Mash Everything” keep the pressure up with fast-talking gunman energy over a lean reggae backdrop. Branxx, Flexx and Iyara all lean into the same hostile mood, so the whole set feels locked into one grim little lane rather than wandering off for variety. Kingston Elite even slips in its own version of the riddim among the eight tracks, which gives the compilation a nice producer’s-mark stamp, almost like a calling card tucked in at the end.