- One of drum & bass's main behind-the-scenes players delivers a crisp debut EP.
- Kasra Mowlavi is one of the driving forces behind modern drum & bass music, but you won't find his name on many records. The London DJ has helped outline the underground sound of the genre over the last ten years—minimalist, driving and with just enough melody. He's had a few collaborative records and solo tracks here and there, though it took 15 years of running Critical for Mowlavi to finally get his own EP. Coming with plenty of weight, Ski Mask features four tracks of no-nonsense drum & bass, the kind that you'd expect from the guy in charge of Critical.
Ski Mask finds a middle ground between aggressive and reserved. Mowlavi's sense of movement and momentum is especially on point—listen to the way that simple vocal sample rides the drums on "Miso," or how the big breakdowns and reverb sweeps steal the show on "Alburz." "Alburz," the EP's highlight, is all about reverb, creating detailed textures. There's also a softer track called "From The Outside In," which sounds a little like a Break tune from a few years ago, with a yearning vocal, rolling bassline and slippery drums. Ski Mask is a great EP from one of the most important professionals in drum & bass.
TracklistA1 Ski Mask
A2 Miso
B1 Alburz
B2 From The Outside In