Critical Music

Critical Music

Critical Music

Critical Music 140 / Deep Dubstep / Grime

Critical Music

Critical Music

Critical Music Drum & Bass

Critical Music 140 / Deep Dubstep / Grime

Red-hot drum & bass talent EN:VY kicks off 2025 with a five-track EP that showcases his ear-catching skills across various sonic styles. Title track ‘Silver Riff’ leads the way, with tightly clipped drums and an ever-switching staccato bassline ready to please fans of the sort of hyper-energetic, funk-drenched grooves that EN:VY has already made his own - most notably on tracks such as last year’s ‘Red Hot Fight’, which also gets the VIP treatment here. ‘Stan It’ takes things moodier, layering shivering drum breaks and super-low subs for a fresh take on the classic ‘90s D&B sound, while ’Damaio’ adds further depth; dropping suffocating sound design over a 140bpm, heads-down dubstep rhythm. ‘Admire’ closes the EP with yet more variety, as EN:VY delivers a surprisingly smooth and soulful liquid drum & bass roller, leaving no doubt that there’s so much more yet to hear from Critical’s latest star.

Critical Music

Sam Binga and Rider Shafique return to Critical in their usual atypical style, smudging the lines between dancehall, hip-hop and US club music with three vocal-driven sonic killers. ‘Bamboo’ is pure dancehall, with a stabbing bashment rhythm ridden by a slack set of lyrics from Rider that would do Vybz Kartel proud. Title track ‘Get Down Low’ calls on Cardiff rapper Magugu to elevate a moody lesson in club-ready 808s. Finally, ‘Vendetta’ takes things fully West Coast, with Teklife producer Taso linking Binga on the beats and San Francisco’s MicahTron joining Rider on the mic.

Critical Music

Critical Music

"Good things come to those who wait", says Matt Harris aka Hyroglifics about the theme of his debut album, 'I'll Wait, I Guess', a personal journey to hope and healing reflected through 16 tracks of ever-evolving music and the stories that lie within them. "I believe that good things happen with time, however, I also wanted this album to depict the realities of waiting for something and how seemingly hopeless it may seem at times". Written and recorded in Bristol before sessions in London and Los Angeles, where he now lives, 'I'll Wait, I Guess' is his most diverse body of work so far. Though led by the detailed drum and bass he's best known for, the album also includes tracks leaning towards grime, half-time, hip hop, techno and ambient music. "I really wanted to create something that shows my range as a producer and artist", Hyroglifics explains. "My taste is always evolving, so it's hard to pin down a specific 'sound,' as I really enjoy exploring the process of trying to create hybrids of genres."