( L - R ) Richie Stephens, Christopher Martin - File

It is rare that a reggae one drop rhythm project generates the kind of excitement that the Hold a Meddi project by Hitmatic Records has done since its release two weeks ago.

The project boasts a slate of heavyweight names such as Christopher Martin, Capleton, TOK, Gentleman, I-Wayne and Richie Stephens.

Capleton's heart-rending Real People is a gem of a song with a monster chorus that shows the full range of his incredible vocal skills. Capleton shows signs that he still possesses much of what initially made fans gravitate towards his music.

Richie Stephens remains at his best with the spiritually charged God Is On My Side, which sounds like a personal tribute to the powers of the Man Upstairs, the one constant, the one rock when the storms of life threaten to batter you and dash you on the reefs of adversity. This song, with the proper promotion, could become an anthem for the spiritually-weary, the downtrodden and disenfranchised mass of people who have lost hope. It is a song that is carved in gospel-reggae oak.

Christopher Martin continues his good run of form with a brilliantly penned song asking a fictional friend, the typical shotta, to engage in some self-introspection at his life of violence. An incredible singer, he invokes real passion when he croons: "look into the mirror/do you like what you've become/from yuself/yu woulda run/look into the mirror/before your days dem done".

The standout song on the rhythm is Gentleman's Everyting Dutty where the artiste seems to put his finger on the pulse of what is happening in the world at this time. He hits out against corruption in high and low places, depraved thoughts, immoral actions and the ever present 'bad mind', but he does so without any venom or anger. Gentleman seeks solutions in an age where reason seems to have deserted us as a people. The single is accompanied by a powerful video that is a favourite of reggae lovers in Africa, and Europe.

I-Wayne laments They Don't Know, warning about the princes of the world who sows the seeds of hatred, war, corruption and confusion for their own personal, and financial gains. I-Wayne's best line:"Many gone on political campaign/spilling blood while they drinking champagne". He paints a sad portrait of a people who have lost their way as they fall into the trap of the pursuit of more, by whatever means necessary.

The song serves as a bone-chilling warning to evildoers where I-Wayne uses religious imagery to speak of modern day violence and situations where the 'shottas' have "box bullets and laser things/to mess up Earth with graver sin/preserving life is a major thing".

Another standout song is TOK's I'll Be Your Light, which is a direct call to the Man Upstairs to intervene as a guiding light in the dark storms of life, with a haunting falsetto on the chorus that sears the soul.

All in all, the Hold a Meddi project shows that the one drop genre is being constantly updated by a new wave of producers, and this wonderful compilation is proof that reggae music lives on.