Review of REGGAE HITS 2000

JamDown Records released a number of compilations throughout 2000, and while most were pretty standard dancehall releases, a few of their collections stood out. One of those notable discs was Reggae Hits 2000. Rather than focusing on the hottest one or two dancehall riddims and letting the young bucks go at it, this collection provided a nice even balance between roots and lovers with a small dash of dancehall thrown in for good measure.

Talented lover's singer Mikey Spice starts things off with "How Am I," followed by Anthony Cruz singing "Thinking About You" over the same Mark Hudson riddim. I like Cruz's version better, as his enthusiasm really shines through.

Also produced by Mark Hudson is Beres Hammond's "Chase Them." This is pretty standard fare for Beres, but that's certainly a good thing in his case. On the same riddim is the outstanding "Children" by the forever-underrated Yami Bolo. It's been a while since we've heard from Yami, so new tracks are always welcomed. Especially when they're straight up roots like "Children."

The strongest dancehall entry on the disc is the driving "Ready Body" by Buju Banton (produced by Paul Kastic). While not one of Buju's more conscious tunes, the power behind it is a fresh change from the stagnant sound of most dancehall productions.

Tony Rebel's "Spoken Words" is typically strong Tony, while "On a Mission" by Bushman and I Lue (on the same Dalton Browne riddim) is also quite good.

Limmy Paul and Jimmy Riley are two singers I'd never heard before, but their contributions ("Can I Be the Only One" and "Never Give It Up") are two of the nicest surprises on the disc. Dalton Browne's production compliments them well.

Among the less interesting releases are "Suzie" by Tanto Metro and Devonte and "Crazy" by the Monster Shack Crew. Both of these are produced by Richard Browne and sound like they belong on one of JamDown's myriad other releases. Sean Paul's "Don't Get It" (produced by Arif Cooper) also isn't terribly interesting.

Of all the JamDown releases from the past year, Reggae Hits 2000 is probably one of the best. Most of the tracks are not very accessible, either, so having them in one place is nice.

For more information, visit http://www.jamdown.com/reggaehits2000inf....

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