Poor Man Style

Dancehall singer Barrington Levy’s 1982 album <i>Poor Man Style</i> delivered a devastating slice of soulful, ghetto-inspired reggae, with laidback rhythms masking his subtle sense of urgency. Scientist’s production is bare-bones but highly effective, turning a clattering cowbell into a kind of warning sign on the pleading “Jah Help Us”. And against the echoing keys and dry snares of “Poor Man Style”, Levy’s poignant high register conveys all the burdens and tribulations of poverty.