Title
Artist
Label
Format
Date

 2-in-1
Various
Finatic Records
CD/LP
June 1, 2006

Track list
    'Emergency'-riddim
  1. Emergency - Screwdriver
  2. As I Look Up To The Hills - Ian Sweetness
  3. New World Order - Thriller U
  4. I Can't Be Sure - Admiral Tibet
  5. Tick Tock - Pam Hall
  6. Emergency Instrumental - Derrick Barnett
    'Bad News'-riddim
  7. Bad News - Screwdriver
  8. Time Is The Master - Admiral Tibet
  9. Mother - Honorebel
  10. Know What You Saying - Freddie McGregor
  11. God Bless Present - Diplomat
  12. (Bad News) Instrumental - Genius
    'Andi Griffin'-riddim
  13. Love, Ballad - Ian Sweetness
  14. Bounty Hunting - Terry Ganzie
  15. Tek Yu Man - Captain Barkley
  16. Iceberg Girl - Kafinol
  17. Andi Griffin (Instrumental) - Derrick Barnett
Rating : from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor)
Vocals : 4 Backing : 4 Production : 4 Sound quality : 5 Sleeve : 4
Miami based Finatic Records has been producing reggae (& soca) since 1986, and one of their best received releases was the "3-in-1 Continous Mix" album of which the format inspired this 2006 release "2-in-1", that only recently got distributed on this side of the Atlantic. The first tune over the first riddim is Florida reggae stalwart Screwdriver's "Emergency", giving this 2000(!) riddim its name followed by four more brilliantly sung tunes, Ian Sweetness' "As I Look Up To The Hills" in praise of Jah, Thriller U's apocalyptic "New World Order", Admiral Tibet singing about the times getting dreader as well in "I Can't Be Sure" and the beautiful lovers tune "Tick Tock" by the great female singer (underrecorded as a solo-artist) Pam Hall before the "Emergency Instrumental" by the Jamaican born founder of the legendary Sagittarius Band, Derrick Barnett shows what a fine take on Wayne Jarrett's 'Youthman'-riddim produced by Glen Brown this is.

The second riddim (also from 2000) is laid by Finatic Records' Genius, a skanking rootsy riddim that inspires Screwdriver to also touch the subject of the times getting dreader in his "Bad News", before Admiral Tibet excels with the upful "Time Is The Master". Deejay HonoRebel usually impresses lyrically but his "Mother" is less convincing than the tunes he recorded in the last couple of years for Jah Ruby and Joe Frasier, but that is made up for by Freddie McGregor's impeccable contribution "Know What You Saying". Diplomat urges us to live a better live and live it as a true rastaman in his entertaining "God Bless Present" before Genius' "Bad News Instrumental" is mixed in 'Steely & Clevie'-style with vocal snatches from all the tunes across it.

Ian Sweetness than fails, with a superfluous take on K-Ci & JoJo's "Love, Ballad" although the riddim certainly can't be blamed as 'The Outlaw' Terry Ganzie shows what a great deejay he was, with his very impressive "Bounty Hunting" that is a fine tribute to his own 'Outlaw' style, followed by another veteran delivering a strong effort, Captain Bark(l)ey also checking his own history with "Tek U Man" very convincingly. The to me unknown Kafinol, with a voice somewhere between Pinchers and Ghost, delivers the entertaining "Iceberg Girl" before the clean instrumental "Andi Griffin" showing the catchiness of this third riddim, laid once more by Derrick Barnett, closes this truly fine set produced by Ian Johnson, Derrick Barnett, Garth 'Fat Man' Guthrie and Genius for Finatic Records. This is a must have compilation for sweet singers enthusiasts, despite the riddims stemming from 2000 and this compilation from 2006, it is still well worth checking out.