KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hardcore reggae one-drop music lovers are excited about the release of the Jam Again Riddim album compilation because it conjures up feelings of nostalgia and joy with its authentic one-drop vibe – a throwback to a bygone era of ‘niceness’.

The rhythm itself is a remake of the JamDown rhythm from Danger Zone Music Group that originally featured hit songs from Cecile (Waiting) and Jah Cure (Sticky) over a decade ago.

The compilation album was released on February 6 and is a ‘true-blue’ tribute to the reggae juggling ‘old school’ style featuring a mix of heavyweight veteran artistes like Nadine Sutherland, Marcia Griffiths, Tanya Stephens and I Octane mixed with emerging talents.

The rhythm project was produced by Esco Da Shocker/Tall King Productions, Lando Genius and popular producer ‘Della Danger’, head of the Danger Zone Music Group.

“We wanted to bring back the reggae “niceness” (as Nadine Sutherland sings on her track) to Jamaica after the passing of Hurricane Melissa. All major events in Jamaica were cancelled at the end of last year. So to start 2026, we released Jam Again with the expectation that people will find strength, comfort and be entertained while getting the nation back on a conscious and positive path,” producer Delmar ‘Della Danger’ Drummond.

Sutherland leads out the rhythm with the song called Niceness where she reminds the reggae ‘massive’ why she is widely regarded as an unmatched generational talent in the world of dancehall and reggae. The song is a celebration of the human essence, perseverance and moral stability even in the face of insidious technological advances that threaten daily life and trigger moral decay in the wider society. Sutherland  passionately calls for a return to Niceness as she sings fiercely: ‘just want you to know this is no AI simulation/a real human vibration/cause this is another day and we come fi stay’.

I Octane delivers one of his best songs in years with Humble, a tour de force of a song that reconnects the artiste to his reggae roots in no uncertain terms. With his laidback delivery, I Octane chants and wails against betrayal and evil, bleeding all over the track, as he calls out to the Almighty for an intervention, returning to God’s presence with humility, stripped of all possessions and pretensions.

Esco Da Shocker shows impressive vocal chops on a well-written gem of a song dubbed Highly Favoured with a searing chorus that invokes spirituality with a warrior spirit even as he calls in the financial blessings. Esco Da Shocker shows that he is equally adept at singing and deejaying when he segues into a booming gravelly voice that perfectly compliments the smooth reggae rhythm.

Esco drops savvy lines such as ‘limitless potential/life is  possibility and mentality is essential/believe inna yourself and dem shall/good energy add a glow to your credentials’ that will draw forwards in the dance. Then after that hardcore verse, Esco segued into a brilliant unexpected bridge that elevated the song once again.

Pamputtae and Tanya Stephens have a superstar team up with the sexually charged Love Me Good that has a couple x-rated lines that will do well in the streets and in the dancehall.

The legendary Marcia Griffiths shows off her timeless vocal skills with Grateful, reminding Jamaicans that you ‘can manifest more if you’re grateful for…’. She appears to be enjoying herself immensely on the song, even breaking out with a line ‘I shall sing…’ from her smash hit of yesteryear, before dropping pearls of wisdoms with hard-hitting lines such as:  ‘….and we still ah sing, speak powerful, ah so we manifest everything /affi visualize and yu energy fi genuine/haffi see yourself as a winner and then yu win’.

Yaksta is at his best with Live Laugh and Love while Cali P impresses with the soulful Kindness for Weakness.

Dancehall youngblood V8Nam shows his versatility as he explains why today’s youth prefer to Stay to Mi Self in a world where spells, witchcraft and bad energy are the norm. V8Nam drops an off-handed diss for one of his peers as he deejays:  ‘dem think dem coulda do mi like a Silk Boss/But as a juvenile, mi grow smart/the world ya dawg will mek yu have a cold heart/so mi pick up mi bible, switch mi phone off/trod to the hills and hold a zone off’.

Other standout songs come from Bamarrah with Servant of the Devil, LEGATOMusic with Reggae Niceness. Badda General shows up with Early Warm’ that celebrates the early juggling reggae songs that are often played to start off a dance session.

Emerging artistes such as Chekx with Mama Say and CaNn CaNn with Sweat round out a well-produced one-drop project, one of the best to emerge in recent memory.