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New music out today from The Skints
Roots Hitek Music keeps the Declaration Riddim rooted in conscious reggae ... CHECK IT OUT!!!!
Roots Hitek Music keeps the Declaration Riddim rooted in conscious reggae tradition, and the choice of title is no accident. The cut name points back to the classic Declaration of Rights foundation first created in 1976 by Coxsone Dodd for The Abyssinians, a riddim that has been revisited many times across roots and later reggae eras. Roots Hitek, operating out of its Dub Realms setup since 1997, has long worked in that message-music lane with vocal, dub and brass-focused projects.
This 2026 set is compact and purposeful, with Tenastelin opening things on Other Invasion, followed by Cos Tafari on Declaration Of Rights, while the label also supplies the dub versions Invasion Dubwise and Declaration Dub Rights. King David Horns adds Declaration Brass, which gives the release an extra live, ceremonial edge. That brass version is the cut that really widens the riddim’s character, pushing it beyond a standard vocal juggling set and into something that feels built for sound system playback.
The riddim itself has a militant, roots-heavy pulse, with the title and arrangement suggesting resistance themes, spiritual reaffirmation and cultural defense. Tenastelin and Cos Tafari both fit that message-driven framework, and Roots Hitek’s own dubs underline the production approach: stripped-back, weighty and made to leave space for bass, drums and horns to carry the atmosphere. It is a release that sits naturally in the label’s catalogue, and one that reads like a continuation of its long-running dub and roots mission.
SPANJAM RIDDIM BRINGS YOU A SPANISH FLAVORED CROSS-OVER ... CHECK IT OUT NOW !!!!!
Spanjam Riddim finds Jungle Jesus Entertainment back in the dancehall lane with a project that pushes Spanish-flavoured crossover energy without losing the grit of a straight bashment juggling. The label has been active in the modern dancehall space for years, with Jungle Jesus first making noise as a promoter and mixtape man before moving deeper into production and artist development. This release fits that pattern: a platform for sharp, hook-heavy voices rather than a one-off experiment.
Anthony B brings the veteran weight here. The Jamaican roots singjay has long been one of the genre’s most recognizable conscious voices, and on a dancehall rhythm like this his delivery usually carries that urgent, sermon-like force. Christi Lux comes at the riddim from a different angle. The Mexican singer has already linked with Jungle Jesus on dancehall material before, and her Spanglish approach helps give the project its cross-border character. Gold Gad, a Kingston dancehall artist known for his streetwise chat and bold tone, adds a harder edge. Jah Fabio, the Mexican reggae and dancehall figure who has spent years pushing the sound beyond Jamaica, rounds out the set with the kind of regional reach that makes these modern riddim projects feel bigger than a local drop.
The rhythm itself has that clean, driving dancehall pulse made for juggling: lean enough for DJs, catchy enough for replay. The best cuts are the ones that lean into contrast, with Anthony B’s commanding presence, Christi Lux’s bilingual cadence, and Jah Fabio’s Latin-Caribbean blend giving the riddim its clearest identity.
CHECK OUT ZIMBABWE DANCEHALL BROUGHT TO YOU BY JANS ORTEGA
Veteran Riddim from Jans Ortega arrived in 2019 through Jans Ortega / Licensed To Pty Audio Distribution and Publishing, and the project runs seven cuts deep. It sits in the Latin-reggae pocket rather than a straight Jamaican dancehall lane, but the riddim language is familiar: a sturdy mid-tempo pulse, lean drums, bright synth accents and a rubbery low end that leaves room for hooks and singalong phrasing.
Awards Riddim lands in the Zimbabwe dancehall lane with Nigel Sadya at the centre, and the title fit feels almost ceremonial. This is a 2026 release, cut as a proper juggling with an instrumental version carrying Sadya’s name and four vocal takes from Jah Rise, Ndondoh, Rhijoman and Wispah Fire. The naming also points to Sadya as more than just the hand behind the riddim; he is present as the producer and the guiding creative voice on the project.
The sound is built for dancehall systems, but with a ZimDancehall edge that keeps it lean and direct rather than overworked. The rhythm feels steady and ready for chants, with enough space in the arrangement for each deejay to ride the pocket cleanly. That instrumental cut matters, because it lets the beat breathe on its own and gives the project a version to use for juggling and stage play.
Jah Rise’s “Mhamha” brings the kind of street-facing energy that suits a riddim set, while Ndondoh’s “Kana Ndakuda” pushes the emotional side of the project. Rhijoman’s “Handina Munhu” adds a more vulnerable note, and Wispah Fire’s “Mai Vako” rounds it out with a title that already suggests sharp local flavour and immediate singalong appeal. Taken together, the set feels less like a random grouping of songs and more like a snapshot of where contemporary ZimDancehall is at: melodic, rooted in vernacular storytelling, and built for repeat plays.
Check Out Passion Vybz Riddim (Catalogue Vol 11) By Hot Drop Records
Hot Drop Records keeps its catalogue moving with Passion Vybz Riddim, a 2026 dancehall juggling that sits squarely in the same Zimbabwe-linked lane as the label’s recent releases. The title fits the sound: bright, programmed, and built for fast juggling, with a lean runtime and a direct, selector-friendly feel rather than a sprawling studio showcase.
This one pulls together Big Nigel, GP Baybie Livity, Mr Murder, Monster Tea, Karizmatik Soul and Cyclops, all names that have been circulating in the ZimDancehall space through Hot Drop’s recent catalogue run. Big Nigel and Monster Tea are both familiar from earlier Hot Drop projects, while GP Baybie Livity has also surfaced on the label’s recent output, which gives the riddim a sense of continuity rather than a one-off cast.
The strongest cuts are the ones that match the riddim’s title with a little attitude. Big Nigel’s Tik Tok and Mr Murder’s Whine Big It Up point straight at the dancefloor, while GP Baybie Livity’s Handimbovatya and Karizmatik Soul’s Whine Fi Mi keep the energy playful and flirtatious. Cyclops closes in with Bigger Tingz, a name that feels made for the same kind of chest-out delivery. Passion Vybz works because it does not overcomplicate itself: short cuts, local voices, and a rhythm that leaves room for each artist to ride the groove their own way.
JANS ORTEGA BRINGS TO YOU RED HOT LATTIN REGGAE RIDDIM ... CHECK IT OUT!
BOOK CLUB PICK: Lee Scratch Perry: Black Ark
A massive photographic archive of Lee “Scratch” Perry’s legendary recording studio...
A 600-page tribute to one of the most famous locales in music history, Black Ark is a detailed inventory of photographs and writings from the Black Ark Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, where producer Lee “Scratch” Perry created music from 1973 onward. The eclectic and constantly evolving decoration of the studio provides an enduring visual counterpart to Perry’s expansive musical catalog. From mural paintings to shape-shifting assemblages of records, instruments, found objects, posters and newspaper clippings, the artworks layer upon one another as they intertwine with the studio building itself. Perry created his own dense and diverse world in which to work: memorialized in this volume before the Black Ark disappears for good.
The photographic documentation of the studio in the spring of 2021 was supplemented by efforts to secure and preserve Perry’s works, objects and recordings as part of a joint project with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Black Ark reflects the rhythm and layering effects of collage both in its content and the materials used to craft the book. Perry was involved in the development of this publication until his death in August 2021. The book closes with memorial essays from Ishion Hutchinson, David Katz, Kodwo Eshun and John Corbett.
Lee “Scratch” Perry (1936–2021) was a musician and producer best known for pioneering the dub genre in the 1970s. He worked with well-known Jamaican artists such as Bob Marley and the Wailers, the Heptones, the Congos and Max Romeo. In 2003 he won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.
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LET LITTLE KIR FILL YOUR PLAYLIST WITH SMOOTH GOODNESS RIGHT NOW ... CHECK IT OUT!
LITTLE KIRK has just dropped a red HOT summer lover's track that you will want to reach for when the night's are warm and so is your sweetie beside you! The track is packed with the smooth rich soulful vocals that we have come to expect from LITTLE KIRK. Family you know what to do ... hit that >> GO BUTTON<< and soak up the goodness right now!
