Police And Thieves
Police And Thieves by Lee "Scratch" Perry, Bob Riddim, Xana Romeo is 140 BPM — Allegro (fast).
Half-time 70 BPM · Double-time 280 BPM · released 2023
Song DNA
Misophonia Triggers
A modern reggae/dub reworking of the classic 'Police and Thieves' featuring Lee 'Scratch' Perry's production style, Bob Riddim's riddim, and Xana Romeo's vocals addressing street conflict themes.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: energetic, introspective, rebellious
Traditions: dub, reggae
"Police And Thieves" runs at 140 BPM — cruise pace territory.
For runners: match cadence to BPM and the song does half the work. Texture stays layered; vocals sit dynamic. Nothing in the arrangement asks for your attention mid-stride. Good as a steady-state track; less useful for interval work where you want explicit tempo shifts.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 6/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.
Sudden changes: mild. There are one or two transitions worth knowing about, though they're musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.
Texture is layered — a full arrangement with clear separation between parts.
Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.
Vocal style: dynamic vocals.
2023 context
Released in 2023. We have 188 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.1/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 2020s.
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Guides that may help
How fast is "Police And Thieves"?
140 BPM — Fast (workout / running pace)
Steady-state running pace. Matches most recreational runners' natural cadence.
Running, cycling, aerobic workouts, dance cardio.
Active tasks, getting pumped up, party, anything high-energy.
Browse more songs at 140 BPM.
When "Police And Thieves" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
Maybe — fine for routine work, but the mid-song changes may pull attention during deep focus.
Yes — 140 BPM sits squarely in the running / cardio band. Matches natural stride cadence.
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
Yes — predictable enough for safe driving attention, interesting enough to stay engaged.
Yes — sits in the background without demanding attention.
Not really — it's pleasant but doesn't hit hard enough for cathartic listening.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
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Why this rating
We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.
See how “Police And Thieves” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-15. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
By the numbers: how this song compares
Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.
Where it sits in 19,000 songs
On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 66% of songs, calmer than the other 34%. Its intensity reading of 51/100 comes from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and dynamic vocals. It shares this stretch of the spectrum with thousands of other tracks, so the finer fingerprint below is what really separates it.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is a fast, driving tempo: more extreme on that axis than 90% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on near-total stillness — steady volume, no surprises, a slow and unhurried pulse — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.
Feels almost identical to
Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.
What it’s good for
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
2023 in context
The 188 songs we’ve measured from 2023 average a dynamic range of 6.1/10. At 6/10, this track is right in line with its year.
Mixes smoothly with
Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.
The fingerprint
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "Police And Thieves"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Police And Thieves" by Lee "Scratch" Perry, Bob Riddim, Xana Romeo?
"Police And Thieves" by Lee "Scratch" Perry, Bob Riddim, Xana Romeo has a tempo of 140 BPM (Allegro (fast)). At half-time that is 70 BPM, and at double-time 280 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Police And Thieves" by Lee "Scratch" Perry, Bob Riddim, Xana Romeo?
"Police And Thieves" by Lee "Scratch" Perry, Bob Riddim, Xana Romeo rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 6/10, mild sudden changes, layered texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "Police And Thieves" — what is its dynamic range?
"Police And Thieves" has a dynamic range of 6/10. Noticeable climb from quiet sections to loudest point. Set opening volume slightly lower than your preferred peak.
Does "Police And Thieves" have sudden or surprising changes?
"Police And Thieves" has mild sudden changes — one or two transitions worth knowing about, but they are musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.
What is "Police And Thieves" best for?
In our library "Police And Thieves" is recommended for: emotional release, energy, movement. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Police And Thieves" released?
"Police And Thieves" is from 2023, on the album "Destiny". It appears in our 2020s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Police And Thieves"?
We tag "Police And Thieves" as energetic, introspective, rebellious. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Police And Thieves"?
The vocal style is dynamic vocals.
Is "Police And Thieves" good for running?
Yes — at 140 BPM it sits in the running-cadence band (120-180 BPM). Match your stride to the beat and it keeps pace with most recreational runners.
Is "Police And Thieves" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (6/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "Police And Thieves" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Contains transitions that will wake you up.
Should I listen to "Police And Thieves"?
"Police And Thieves" is Moderate intensity — fine for most listeners, but with enough dynamic activity that it works best as active listening rather than background.
Songs with the same DNA
layered texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
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