Yammie All Star Volume One – Yammie Music

Cut in 1989 on Yammie Music, Yammie All Star Volume One catches that late-’80s dancehall moment when the sound was sharpening up but still leaning on a proper singer-and-deejay balance. The set runs through eight cuts and a version, with Bimbo, Bruce Lee, Culture Lee and Johnny P bringing the tougher patter, while Pad Anthony, Sugar Minott and Thriller U pull the riddim toward smoother, more melodic ground. Courtney “Yammie” Allen is credited as producer, and that matters here: the record has the feel of a compact label showcase rather than a loose compilation, with each voice landing in a different pocket. Sugar Minott’s “Rags To Riches” gives the album one of its cleanest hooks, but the final stretch really settles around Thriller U’s “Crazy, ” which leaves the strongest aftertaste.