IN / ROTATION Is Back With Genre-Bending ‘Written in Blood’ EP From Dead Critic

Straight from the ghostly depths of the bassbin, the new-school floor-killer known as Dead Critic steps up to center stage on Insomniac’s IN / ROTATION imprint with his four-track Written in Blood EP, which is sure to impress. Weighing in at only 17 years old, the UK-based producer boasts a wall-shaking, head-twisting, genre-bending output that bodes well for a long and healthy career in the industry.

While carefully crafted to hit the dancefloor where it hurts, each track on the EP features Dead Critic flexing hard, as he pulls from disparate musical influences ranging from dubstep to trap to bass house and back again. It’s not just his ability to bust out some genre-bending cuts that’s impressive, but it’s the way the young blood merges them together into a seamless, cinematic-inspired experience that’s sure to have you picking your jaw up off the floor, hungry for more.

To celebrate the release of his EP, we locked horns with Dead Critic for an in-depth interview that takes us all the way from his childhood roots in Nottingham, UK, to his go-to Halloween flick this season. Check it.

Take us back to growing up. What kind of music do you remember hearing around the house?
When I was younger, I used to hear artists like Linkin Park, the Prodigy and Pendulum, and those artists influenced me greatly.

Was anyone musical in your family?
I believe my grandfather was very into music, but I never remembered what he played or anything. To be honest, I was never actually really into music until I was 10.

We imagine you were into movies at a young age then? We also imagine it was horror and straight-up twisted shit, but maybe Bambi was the turning point for you.
I actually wasn’t allowed to watch many movies when I was younger! But since then, some movies that inspire me to work on music with a cinematic atmosphere are The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, and most recently, Fight Club.

At what point does electronic music, and bass music specifically, enter your world? What was it about that sound that caught your attention?
All the bass-heavy stuff really caught my attention, because there was just something so cool about me not knowing how all these crazy noises and stuff were made. I wanted to make that music since I was 11 and didn’t actually start until I was 14, and it was the greatest decision ever. The fact that it was challenging to me, and that it was a sound I loved ever since I heard it, really drove me to work better at it.

Was it just straight production, or did DJing interest you, as well? At what point do you start to find some success?
I’m definitely better at the production side of things and don’t really DJ that often. Production-wise, I started to see some decent success pretty early on. Within six months of posting my music, I had already hit a thousand listens before later hitting two, and then three thousand in the coming months. It really goes to show that if you really, really wanna get something done, if you work hard at it and know you can do it, it’s not a problem. If you’re passionate, it’s crazy how far that gets you.

Were there any early supporters or mentors you credit with helping you break through?
I didn’t really have a mentor—but me and my best friend/producer Milkshake started from the same point. We helped each other with the things we weren’t particularly good at and made many, many collaborations… so we could learn something and make something dope in the process.

Flash forward to the present, and you’re in the midst of coming up large. Talk about how the last year has gone down release-wise for you and what the feedback has been like on all the sick beats.
The last year of releases has been crazy! I’m really excited about all of the releases so far, and I’m so excited for the new ones. The feedback on the tracks has definitely shown me that people do really like what I’m doing and how I’ve switched my styles up to perform different genres, and that’s something that I’m really happy about.

One of our favorite recent releases has been your “Get on My Level” remix for SAYMYNAME. Talk about going all-in on that project and how you flipped the script on the original to give it your own special flavor.
The newest remix I did on SAYMYNAME was a really interesting one to work on. It took me a few tries to think of a genre that would really give it a new groove, while still keeping the vibe. And then when I received the multi-track stems, I knew I was ready to make a four-on-the-floor house tune with that dark, rhythmic pattern and the energy that carries it.

Speaking of special flavor, we’re amped to have your Written in Blood EP drop on the masses! Talk about your initial vision for the project and how it all came together.
That project is definitely full of tracks I’ve wanted to get out for a while. The main thing I love about the EP is that no two tracks are the same. Each one is very different from each other. On one end, you’ve got “Laser Tag,” which has that classic speedy dubstep vibe; “BRK,” which is very ambient but hard-hitting; “Terror Island” with that classic rave vibe with a crazy-sounding vocal; and finally, “Call Me,” which is a love song with the prettiest chords, chops, and melodies I’ve ever done.

I think diversity in music is important, for sure, and you shouldn’t box yourself in to one place when you know you can and would love to make music different to your common stuff.

Before we dip into these beats, Halloween is right around the corner. We figure it’s one of your favorite holidays, in keeping with the Dead Critic persona. If there’s just one scary movie we should watch to get us in the Dead Critic mood, which one would it be?
Definitely watch The Babadook this Halloween. It’s one of my favorite scary movies. A lot of the imagery they use is really, really freaky once you get it, and they hide a lot of stuff from you. Occasionally you’ll spot it in the background and rethink the scene. Definitely a great movie.

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