Kiril seems to be dominating Critical Recordings lately, with his first EP on the imprint under the Binary series and now with his new EP on Critical Systems. Kiril is a standout among the rash of Italian DnB producers hitting the charts lately in that his style is a mix of darkstep throwback grooves and steppy, fast, snare-heavy and techy modern vibes. He combines the best of both worlds in this breakout Critical Systems EP, and Your EDM has an exclusive first look at “Strike.”
“Strike” is probably the best example of this 50/50 vintage darkstep/modern techstep blend that Kiril has going on the CRITSYS012 EP. The technical aspects of this track, especially the pitch, are what make it sound very current despite the heavy snares running through the beat and the darkstep-style sub bass, mid synths and ambient elements.
The speed of “Strike” especially works to add a modern feel, as at its inception and through its golden age, darkstep was quite a bit slower than the standard 174BPM of today. In terms of pitch, this track’s speed and the speed at which Kiril generally works is at least 2005 or later. There’s also a phrase-punching screech effect that, along with a secondary kick, brings the track together in a very 2018 way.
When the Critical Systems series EPs are released, the DnB world always pays attention because we know it will something innovative and different. In the case of Kiril, the innovation has been to perfectly blend old and new to create something unique and separate from any genres or time periods of drum and bass. It’s just DnB.
Kiril’s CRITSYS012 is out on Critical Recordings on Friday, September 14. It can be pre-ordered on multiple platforms by clicking here.