Kasra founded Critical Music in a North London flat in 2002, borrowing money from his father to put out its first records. The experimental Five Faces / Evolve by DPHIE was a difficult starting point: Kasra struggled to persuade DJs to play it. A year later, Calibre’s Rockafella / Barca helped the label find its footing, opening the way for music from Break and Breakage. Inspired by the independent culture around grunge, Kasra wanted to run a label that could reflect his own tastes.
Enei, Mefjus, and Ivy Lab became central names as Critical grew, while Sam Binga and Halogenix brought contrasting sounds to the roster. The catalogue has room for stripped-back drum and bass as well as heavier material. Klinical’s Constant EP follows its minimal side, while QZB’s Kilowatt EP moves between deeper tracks and the darker jump-up of Cut Off The Top.
Binary gives newer producers an outlet within the label, with releases from QZB, Particle, and En:vy. Critical Sound brings that music into clubs and festivals. Beginning in 2010, the events grew to include a fabric residency and appearances at Printworks, Sónar, and Boomtown, putting artists from different parts of the catalogue on the same bill.
![RAKKA (latesleepr Remix) [latesleeper Remix] album by latesleeper - Drum and Bass Cover Art](/cdn-cgi/image/dpr=1,fit=cover,format=auto,gravity=face,height=420,metadata=none,quality=85,width=420/https%3A%2F%2Fi.scdn.co%2Fimage%2Fab67616d0000b2735dfeeff15440908bc206d8cc)
