Published
Wed, Jan 12, 2011, 17:24
- Calibre, Breakage, Rockwell and more feature on the London drum & bass outfit's new digital collection.
London drum & bass label Critical Recordings are celebrating their fiftieth release with the a digital compilation, fittingly entitled Critical Sound of Drum & Bass.
Founded in 2002 by the Kasra Mowlavi, Critical has put out records from many of drum & bass's most acclaimed contemporary acts, including Calibre, Breakage, Spectrasoul and relative newcomers Icicle and Rockwell. The label has also released a few artists not normally associated with the genre, such as Hessle Audio co-founder Ramadanman. Now in its eighth year of operation, the imprint boasts a residency at Fabric and regular gigs around the UK.
Critical Sound of Drum & Bass stretches from the label's very beginnings into its future, with classics like Calibre's "Rockafella" and Break's "Cold Sweat" rubbing elbows with recent cuts like Rockwell's "Underpass" or Total Science's "Redlines." Those already familiar with the label can look forward to nine new and exclusive tracks in the compilation's second half, featuring well-known names like Stray and Synkro as well as Critical newbies Hybris, ED:IT and Pessimist. You can hear a 30-minute medley of the compilation here.
Later this month, Critical will also release a new EP from Rockwell called Aria, which features a collaboration with Hemlock Records man Untold.
Tracklist
01. Calibre - Rockafella
02. Breakage - Staggered Dub
03. Bungle - Too Late
04. Lomax - Innocent X
05. Silent Witness - California
06. Cyantific & Kasra - Outer Limits
07. Break - Cold Sweat
08. Spectrasoul - Alibi (Break Remix)
09. Rockwell - Underpass
10. Total Science - Redlines
11. Stray - Can of Cancun
12. Synkro - Sketch
13. Enei - Forgive Me
14. Kinetik & Treo
15. Hollow
16. ED:IT - Replicants
17. FD - Third Glance
18. Bladerunner - Back to the Jungle (VIP)
19. Hybris - Loaded
Critical Sound of Drum & Bass is currently available via Critical Music.