Various – Landmark Riddim

Stay Nice Music has been steadily building its presence through Dub Shot Records since early 2026, releasing a series of singles and packages along the way. Now the label takes another step forward with its first original riddim creation, the Landmark Riddim. Built around what the producers describe as a “One Drop Blues” sound, the project blends roots reggae with soul and blues influences. An international cast of established and emerging voices takes on the riddim, including Kumar Fyah, MediSun, Ras Shiloh and Ginjah, alongside Jah Izrehl, Chris Malachi, JahRiffe, Toussaint the Liberator, Andrae Duhaney, Krysi Webb, Kazayah, Inezi, Smoke and Badda General.

The songs cover familiar but important reggae ground, from love and romance to consciousness, resilience, social commentary and uplifting messages. Musically, the riddim has plenty to offer, with a deep bassline, steady one-drop drums, guitar skank, warm horns and touches of dub.

Across 18 tracks, the artists touch on love, consciousness, struggle, resilience, social issues and positive thinking. The foundation stays strong throughout, built around heavy bass, steady drums, guitar skank, horns and a tasteful dub atmosphere.

Don Daka of Stay Nice Music handles the production, with Jah David joining as co-producer. Behind the riddim is a talented group of musicians, including Jah David, Laurent “Tippy I” Alfred, Okiel McIntyre, Zoe, Lamont “Monty” Savory and Roberto Sánchez.

Kumar Fyah gets the juggling underway with the conscious Found My Baby, a catchy tune with some clever lyrical touches. Ginjah follows with Nice And Mellow, a smooth lovers rock cut that fits the riddim beautifully. Then comes MediSun with Freedom, one of the project’s highlights. It’s a strong roots anthem about hope, perseverance and breaking free from struggle. Ras Shiloh keeps the roots feeling alive with One Drop Rule, a tribute to the spiritual and cultural legacy of Jamaica’s iconic one-drop tradition. Together, these opening tracks make for a strong start and give us a good taste of the musical direction behind Landmark Riddim.

From there, Landmark Riddim moves through different moods without losing its musical identity. Kumar Fyah returns with 5000 Acres, reflecting on being detained by law enforcement after being found with a small amount of herb. It’s a personal story, but he uses it to point towards a bigger issue that has long been part of reggae’s social commentary. Jah Izrehl takes a similarly direct approach on his own herb-themed contribution called Have It. There’s plenty of room for romance, too. Toussaint the Liberator’s Please Don’t Keep, Krysi Webb’s My Time and Kazayah’s Sweet Love bring a softer, more intimate mood to the collection. And because no good roots reggae project is complete without a trip into dub, Stay Nice Music saves three versions for the finale: Landmark Riddim (JAHDavid Dub), Freedom In Dub and 5000 Acres In Dub.

Landmark Riddim is a solid introduction to Stay Nice Music’s own riddim-making direction, bringing together a diverse cast of voices over a warm, live-sounding one-drop foundation.