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Able
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Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Various
Review: Celebrating two decades deep in the game, Critical Music deliver this exceptional 22 track collection from some of the most innovative artists in the bass field. From old label mates such as Sam Binga, Mefjus and Ivy Lab to exciting newcomer talents like Spectral, Able and Cauzer, the entire collection is a blistering jolt of futurism that ranges the full Critical spectrum. Highlights range from the introspective tones of Buunshin's 'Forget About Me' to the dark, tense minimalism of Calibre's 'Verstat' by way of the barbed soul of Halogenix's 'IDGAF'. Here's to another 20 years...
Review: Next up from Able, a spicy new two track display coming to us courtesy of Vihara, within which we explore a number of nostalgic garage themes and broken-beat designs, kicking off with the vibrant arrangements of 'Higher'. Despite it's garage-sentric introduction, this one explodes into a colourful display of steppers' vibrancy, chopping together pitched down vocal slices and 2-steppy drum inclusions for a fabulously futuristic display. On the flip, 'Arena' jumps into a much more grizzly display from the jump, with ominous pad textures and engulfing sub swings, driven forward by shimmering shaker sweeps and percussive melodies throughout. Lovely work!
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: This latest EP from Critical, courtesy of Able, exemplifies everything great about this legendary label. It's dark and techy yet packed with the rough nuts and bolts of the UK urban scene, and each track flips through spasms of synthetic grit in a dirty fashion designed to make you squeal. There's no messing around and the first track bounces with aplomb, squeezing as much energy from the elements as it possibly can, each new step taking you down rougher and rougher paths. 'Closer Then' injects a jump-up vibe with perfect measurements, its stabbing nodes cutting and weaving their way through a tapestry of wild sounds. This is proper Critical.
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
Various
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: Encrypted Sound haven't been around for that long and this is their fourth release, but the maturity is already evident in their selection and what better way to show that off than with a twelve-track VA LP. Joining the fray is a range of artists including Able,Teej and Toby Ross, the latter of whom has smashed it out the park with 'Sinister', a stripped back and infectiously bouncy tune that nonetheless hits beautifully hard, it's kick drum perfectly placed to add that extra lift off. Teej has been killing it on labels like Co-Lab recently and he does so once more again, with 'Erasure' resting on an inch-perfect snare drum that provides the base for its choppy main bass. Top work from the whole crew here.
