Wood Work Riddim – Various Artists

Wood Work Riddim comes off like a lean mid-2000s reggae set rather than one of those glossy, overpacked projects, with just five tracks and a tight little circle of voices around the same cut. Jah Cruze’s “Thats The Way” sets the tone with a straight-ahead chant, while Nymron’s title track leans into the woodwork theme with a rougher, more rooted feel that fits the name nicely. Mad Rhyme’s “Me Dem Want” adds some edge, and the Unicom and I-Bar pairing on “What Di Gal Dem Want” gives the riddim a bit more bounce at the tail end. Released in 2007, it lands in a year when reggae production was already moving toward cleaner, radio-ready drum work, but this one keeps its focus on the song and the singer rather than trying to dress things up.