Critical Music is an independent record label based in north London. The label is the owned and run by DJ and producer Kasra Mowlavi and releases mostly Drum and bass records. Since it was started back in 2002, Critical Music has grown significantly and become a widely recognized name on the underground music scene. The label has released tracks by a number of artists including Enei, Rockwell, Spectrasoul, Calibre and Break and has a reputation for finding and developing new artists.
Resident Advisor has described the label as "A wealth of innovation, growth and experimentation abounds at 170 beats per minute right now, and you can't get a much better—or more comprehensive—approximation of it all than through the discography of London's Critical Recordings."[1]
Kasra Mowlavi started Critical Music in 2002. The label’s first release was a single by Dphie - Five Faces / Evolve.2 and from there Critical began slowly but surely gathering fans looking for quality, fresh drum n bass releases. Critical’s early years were more about a deeper, underground sound, but with the release of Spectrasoul - Alibi (Break remix) / Organiser in 2009, the label began to take a more dancefloor friendly turn and its profile became much more heightened. Despite this, Critical has never given in to the temptation to mass release cheap, high speed adrenaline rush tracks that other labels have in order to bring recognition and cash. Instead, it has gone for a more sophisticated version of the dancefloor smash with releases like Enei’s Cracker in 2011.
In 2010 the label began running Critical Sound nights at venues around the UK and Europe. Critical now has a residency at Fabric London [2], and there are Critical Sound nights at clubs in other cities in the UK like Life in Brighton and Basement 45 in Bristol.
The label has gained considerable profile for its releases, a number of which have won recognition within the industry. Mob Justice by Foreign Concept was included in KMag’s Best Singles of 2011 and the magazine said Critical ‘could do no wrong this year.’ [3] FACT Magazine listed the Rockwell Aria EP as one of the 50 Best Tracks of 2011 [4]
In 2011, the label signed the first of its exclusive artists, Russian DJ and producer Enei (Aleksei Egorchenkov). Enei won the Best Newcomer Producer award at the Drum n Bass Arena awards 2011, where Critical was also nominated for Best Label. [5] The label has also been integral in the careers of Rockwell and Sabre [6]
The following artists release on Critical Music (as of April 2016).
Current ValueEmperorEneiForeign ConceptHyroglificsIvy LabKasraKlaxMefjusSam BingaThe following artists are exclusively signed to Critical Records (as of March 2016).
EneiForeign ConceptMefjus2002
CRIT001 Dphie - Five Faces / Evolve.2CRIT002 Vector Burn - Not Promised Tomorrow / Flame SurfacingCRIT003 Mathematics - Blackjack / Sunday MorningCRIT004 Vector Burn & Dphie - Not Promised Tomorrow (DJ Friction Remix) / Five Faces (Vector Burn Remix)CRIT005 Delta & Format - Sparks / Wishing2003
CRIT006 Bulletproof - The Bends / SanctuaryCRIT007 SYS-X - L-Razor / AngeldancerCRIT008 Ill.Skillz - Forgive Myself (D.Kay VIP) / Forgive MyselfCRIT009 Calibre - Rockafella / Barca2004
CRIT010 Phobia - Future Soul / MandalayCRIT011 Chris.SU - Satisfy / Try AgainCRIT012 Alias - Plum Fairy / Admit to LoveCRIT013 Silent Witness & Break - Dialling Out / Godpad2005
CRIT014 Breakage - Staggered Dub / 4MeCRIT015 Alias - Can I? / Van CleefCRIT016 Calibre - Domeron / MaximusCRIT017 Young Ax - Listen Up! / Something WonderfulCRIT018 Stress Level & TC1 - Satisfy (Stress Level & TC1 Remix) / Sonar HeatCRIT019 Funky Technicians - Bandits / Welcome Aboard2006
CRIT020 SKC & Bratwa - Pain / ForgetCRIT021 Breakage - Blue Mountain / AstroCRIT022 Bungle - Too Late / Human PoisonCRIT023 Silent Witness - California / AtlantaCRIT024 SKC & Bratwa / Futurebound - Pain (Brookes Bros Remix) / FrightnightCRIT025 Break - Cold Sweat / The Vacuum2007
CRIT026 CLS - With No Light To Guide My Way / Late NightCRIT027 Chris.SU & Concord Dawn - Sacrifice / To HealCRIT028 Icicle & Nymfo - Shadows of Tomorrow / UnbreakableCRIT029 Lomax - Innocent X / Trago Trash2008
CRIT030 Breakage Cooper / Rebel CreationsCRIT031 Icicle Lost Hours / Late NightsCRIT032 Sabre & Vicious Circle - Endless / ColumboCRIT033 Spectrasoul - Alibi / Dark HourCRIT034 Survival - Portal / The BeginningCRIT036 Bungle - Be Like This / The Source2009
CRITDIGI1001 Cyantific & Kasra - Outer Limits (Inside Info Remix)CRIT038 Spectrasoul - Alibi (Break remix) / OrganiserCRIT038L Spectrasoul - Taken / Organiser Ramadanman RemixCRIT039 Sabre - Original Sin / The CrestCRIT040 Serum And Vapour - Live & Direct / True CallingCRIT041LTD Various Artists - Kasra - Perception / Stray – Timbre2010
CRIT042 Break - Crunchy / Late DropCRITLP04S Sabre - Marvel / Barefoot (w/ Ulterior Motive)CRIT044 FD, Hydro & Keza - Canopy / RemorseCRIT045 Total Science - Redlines / SkinzCRIT046 Stray - Locked Up / EraseCRIT047 Bladerunner - Back To The Jungle / Who Jah Bless (w/ Serum)CRIT048 Total Science - Redlines feat. Riya (Break Remix) / ScaremongerCRIT049 S.P.Y - Fields of Joy / Stormtrooper2011
CRIT050 Cyantific - 305 / OpiumCRIT051 Rockwell - Aria EPCRIT052 Enei - Cracker (w/ Eastcolors and Noel) / Danger DanceCRIT053 Seba & Paradox - The Light (feat. Kirsty Hawkshaw) / As IfCRIT054 S.P.Y & Kasra - Surface / ControlCRIT055 Code 3 - What You Sayin? / Double DippedCRIT056LTD Enei - One Chance / Labyrinth (with Eastcolors)CRIT058 Foreign Concept - Mob Justice / Show You (with Kasra) / Babyfaced Battleaxe (feat. Dekka) Digital ExclusiveCRIT059 Calibre - Piano Bizness / Smooth Baby2012
CRIT060 Various Artists - Sequence One EPCRIT061 Sabre, Stray & Halogenix - ObliqueCRIT062 Break - Here We Go / SoundwavesCRIT063 Dub Phizix - Never Been / CodecCRIT064EP Various Artists - Sequence Two EPCRIT065LTD Spectrasoul – Organiser – (Foreign Concept Remix) / Enei - One Chance (Emperor Remix)CRIT066 Sabre & Riya - Injustice / Foreign Concept & Riya - AfflictionCRIT067 Xtrah - Soundclash / Discordance2013
CRIT068 Ivy Lab - Afterthought / BratCRIT069 Mefjus - Signalz / Cypher (feat. Kasra)CRIT070 Emperor - Begin EPCRIT071 Enei - Liberation EPCRIT072 Foreign Concept - Tag Team EPCRIT073 Mefjus - Contemporary EP2014
CRIT074 Ivy Lab - Missing Persons EPCRIT075 Emperor & Mefjus - Hello World EPCRIT076 Enei - Goliath EPCRIT077 Foreign Concept - Make Meals EP2015
CRIT078 Sam Binga - Nuh Chat EPCRIT079 Mefjus - Suicide Bassline / ContinuousCRIT080 Ivy Lab - Twenty Questions EPCRIT081 Emperor - Into Black EPCRIT082 Kasra & Enei - Inside The Box EPCRIT083LTD Mef:Lab Remixes: Ivy Lab – Sunday Crunk (Mefjus Remix) / Mefjus – Blame You (feat. Zoe Klinck) (Ivy Lab Remix)CRIT084 Hyroglifics - No Drama EPCRIT085 Enei - Just One Look / Bad ProofCRIT086 Phace & Friends EP2016
CRIT087LTD Mefjus - Emulation (The Remixes)CRIT088 Alix Perez & Ivy Lab - Arkestra EPCRIT035 Critical Sound Volume 1Various Artists Break - Timeline VIP Loxy & Naibu - Hajime Inside Info - Bog Lomax & Kasra – Warrior
CRIT037 Poster Girl EPSilent Witness Poster Girl Transworld Blackhole Hinterland
CRIT043EP The Noir EPRockwell Stay Calm Bone Structure Feat. Zero Tolerance
CRIT051EP Aria EPRockwell Aria Live For The Moment Rekohu Sunrise (w/ Untold) Noir (Ulterior Motive Remix)
CRIT057EP Stonehead EPEnei Stonehead No Fear featuring Riya Movin' Fast Cracker - Jubei Remix
CRIT060 Critical presents Sequence One EPCRIT064EP Critical presents Sequence Two EPCRIT070 Emperor - Begin EPCRIT071 Enei - Liberation EPCRIT072 Foreign Concept - Tag Team EPCRIT073 Mefjus - Contemporary EPCRIT074 Ivy Lab - Missing Persons EPCRIT075 Emperor & Mefjus - Hello World EPCRIT076 Enei - Goliath EPCRIT077 Foreign Concept - Make Meals EPCRIT078 Sam Binga - Nuh Chat EPCRIT080 Ivy Lab - Twenty Questions EPCRIT081 Emperor - Into Black EPCRIT082 Kasra & Enei - Inside The Box EPCRIT084 Hyroglifics - No Drama EPCRIT086 Phace & Friends EPCRIT088 Alix Perez & Ivy Lab - Arkestra EPCRITLP01 - All Sounds Electric, Various ArtistsCRITLP02 - All Sounds Electric Two, Various ArtistsCRITLP03 - Critical Sound, Various ArtistsCRITLP04 - A Wandering Journal, SabreCRITLP05 - Machines, EneiCRITLP06 - Underground Sonics, Various ArtistsCRITLP07 - Emulation LP, MefjusCRITLP08 - Wasted Days LP, Sam BingaCRITLP09 - Rituals, EneiCRITLP10 - Biocellulose, Current ValueIn 2010, Modulations was set up as a sister label to Critical Music. Label owner Kasra described Modulations as "the DnB version of a singles club" and has emphasized the collectability of the 10" vinyl only releases which all have high quality packaging [7]. Artists releasing on the label include Lenzman, Dub Phizix, Vicious Circle & Jubei and June Miller