Work Riddim – Ashquad Ltd

Ashquad Ltd’s Work Riddim is a lean little 2002 reggae set that keeps the focus on roots voices and a steady, workmanlike groove rather than any big studio fireworks. Alton Ellis opens with “Tribute To Bob Marley, ” which gives the project a nice old-school gravity, and Fred Locks follows with the sharper, more streetwise “She Got Caught Up. ” Jah Mel’s “Ru Xperienced” and Pampi Judah’s “Woman Is My Lifeline” keep the same measured pulse moving, while the Ashquad Ltd version cut sits right in the middle as the instrumental spine. With just five tracks, it plays more like a compact showcase than a sprawling compilation, and that economy suits the riddim’s straightforward, unfussy feel.