The label will embrace diverse styles and tempos, with a portion of each release’s profits going to a charity selected by the artist.
Pushing his Critical Music imprint with precision, novelty and unmatched consistency since 2002, Kasra is a drum & bass all-timer. Whether it’s being at the forefront of innovation or reinvigorating the label’s sound at every time of asking, Critical Music’s adaptability for the past two decades has been second to none.
Ever since its inception, Critical Music’s deep connection to the underground, always listening to emerging movements and embracing sonic experimentation has led to the label building an imperious catalog that features the full spectrum of the jungle and drum & bass sound. Whether it’s the powerful, gushing sonics of Enei, the genre-defying brilliance of Mefjus’ ‘Emulation,’ or Ivy Lab’s innovative fusion of wonky hip-hop and drum & bass, Critical Music has it all in their locker.
After laying the groundwork for future artists and fans and ensuring their influence resonates across generations to come, no one could fault Kasra if he chose to step back and bask in his well-earned accolades. But he’s been one of the genre’s greatest innovators for a reason, and that is his relentless drive to evolve, innovate and adapt.
After more than twenty years of meticulously building Critical brick by brick, Kasra’s next chapter of evolution comes in the form of a new label – Best Intentions. “After 20 years of heading up Critical Music I wanted to try something a little different. Best Intentions came about from a desire to put all the things I’d learnt running a label into something new that maybe didn’t have as many musical boundaries and could lead me down different paths of creativity and vision,” said Kasra about his latest venture.
Speaking about Best Intentions’ creative approach, the label will be free of any style or tempo boundaries. This philosophy, a fundamental element of Critical Music’s success, enabled the label to flourish by promoting innovation and creative freedom. Kasra is now channeling that same energy into Best Intentions, striving to establish a platform where artists can delve into innovative concepts and expand their sound in surprising ways.
Most importantly, the aim of Best Intentions, as the name suggests, will be to donate a portion of profits from every release to a charity of the releasing artist’s choice. This approach not only champions significant causes but also enables artists to contribute in impactful ways, harmonizing their creative endeavors with a sense of social duty.
To mark the label’s debut releases, Kasra has brought Tim Reaper and gyrofield, who he says “are 2 visionary producers whose forward-thinking natures and independent spirits are an inspiration,” and Jungle visionary Tim Reaper has kicked things off in some style with the ‘Raw Energy Movements’ EP.
The title track is a rugged jungle slicer with masterful drum programming, whereas ‘The Juggernaut’ is Tim Reaper’s ode to the classic 90s jungle sound. ‘World of Shadows’ dives further into the producer’s insanely creative mind with its delicately designed and incisive drums. The final tune of the ‘Raw Energy Movements’ EP is an exhibition of propulsive percussion and skewed atmospherics that further attest to Tim Reaper’s throne as one of jungle’s most respected new-generation producers.
Stay tuned as Best Intentions prepares to unleash gyrofield’s explosive second release.
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