Dancehall Xplosion '99 (Jamdown, 1999)

Although an uneven album, this "xplosion" provides some rather entertaining moments.  Dancehall Xplosion '99 is a continuous mix, but unlike some mixes, this one actually plays the entire song, so you don't feel cheated.  While the first track is merely an intro and the last a mega mix of various tracks, the middle 18 songs share 6 rhythms, 3 apiece.  As with much of dancehall, unless the artist's style is so unique and engaging, the appeal of the tunes here lies largely in the rhythm.  Two of the beats -- the "Bruckout" and "Ruff Neck" rhythms (the former of which confusingly does not support Buccaneer's "Bruckout, Bruckout," but rather "Boom Tune," "War," and "Do It and Done.") -- don't work at all, thus dooming 6 songs off the bat.  Despite this handicap, the remaining tracks perform admirably, the best of which is T.O.K.'s "Whoa."   In this case, while the Heavy Metal rhythm (which does carry "Bruckout, Bruckout") -- named because of its rock guitar riff -- is nice, it's the catchy vocal stylings of the duo that make the song.  T.O.K.'s fun flow and mix of two voices -- one high-pitched like Mr. Vegas and one deeper -- make "Whoa" one of the best dancehall jams of the year.  The best of the beats, though, has to be the Sail Away rhythm, which turns 3 otherwise OK tunes -- T.O.K.'s "Gal fi Get Loving," Frisco Kid & Chico's "Gal Teacher," and Beenie Man & Mr. Vegas' "Bad Man Nuh Flee" -- into good tunes.  Though as energetic as the other beats, what sets Sail Away apart is its sweet, airy keyboard riff (taken from Alexander O'Neal's ballad "If You Were Here Tonight").  Rounding things out are the solid duo of Red Rat's "Caan Sleep" (on the Baddis rhythm) and Mr. Vegas' "Jack It Up" (on the Bookshelf rhythm).