Words by Erin MacLeod —
From the bass drop at the beginning of “We Rule the Area” with Face-T featuring Mikey Dangerous, it’s clear that this Poirier production is playing with the sound of sleng teng. King Jammy’s most famous riddim, the one that started the avalanche of “computerized” or “digital” dancehall in the 1980s, has an unmistakable sound as well as feel. Poirier’s riff on the riddim is rooted in the 80s, but, as he says, “It’s the mid-eighties digital era in 2012. I have a great reaction when I play it–It was obvious that it would become a single.” As it stands, it’s the second single from Face-T’s strong solo album Tuff Like Stone.
