Critical Music

Review: Linking up for the first time since 'Thoroughbred', kindred spirits Sam Binga and Hyroglifics collide to create their biggest collaborative body of work to date; 'Wicked & Bad'. Not just a kooky title, it truly is loaded to the lips with naughty... The opening system shaker 'Wicked' with long-time compadre Redders, the ice cold electro thrills of 'Wits End', the Riko Dan-front bubbler 'Bad' and the trippy instrumental grime finale 'No Dice' are all primed with the wickedness, and indeed badness, one needs to survive in these nonviable times. Critical in more ways than one.

Review: Drum&BassArena award winning Austrian Mefjus proves his hype once again with two outrageously heavy cuts. "Contemporary" (a collaboration with the equally talented Icicle) has already become an early seasonal highlight, all sheet metal sound design and mind-bending dynamics. "Dissaude" is heavier again; tub-thumping drama with a cinematic sense of drama, it's contemporary neuro on a Phace & Misanthrop level. Something tells us more awards will find their way onto the Mefjus trophy cabinet in the near future.

Review: Serum and Critical Records boss Kasra join forces for three tracks that see the former's sharp edged sonics and the more atmospheric, experimental textures of the latter working in perfect harmony. 'Noodles' has a serious sci-fi vibe that harks back to the early days of Metalheadz, set to work across a sturdier, more rolling selection of steady, heavy beats. The shuddering bass and choppy rhythms of 'Fade Out' give space for plenty of modular synth action - ultimately a feature of all three tracks here - and affairs are topped off with an attitude=heavy spoken word sample. 'Blaze Heat' has a more hip-hop slanted vibe, slotting in neatly to the wall of drum & bass breakbeats, but again the over-riding focus is some fresh, unheard wigging out in the higher frequencies. Nice work all round, and a personnel combination with a lot to recommend it.