Introducing: Blocks & Escher (& their FABRICLIVE x Critical Sound Mix)

With their Narratives label steadily winning plaudits from the drum and bass community (including lavish praise from our own Houndstooth signing, Special Request) after its first six releases, we figured it was high time we introduced the duo of Blocks & Escher to you right here on these pages. Long since a name and production partnership that’s piqued our collective interest; the pair are set to be appearing in Room Two at the next Critical Sound takeover on Friday 7th March for their FABRICLIVE debut so we took the opportunity to task them with a few questions and sent a request for a promotional mix that would sum up succinctly what they’re all about, quite seriously... Download: Blocks & Escher - FABRICLIVE x Critical Sound Mix Having bedded your Narratives imprint in for a few years now, do you feel like you’ve accomplished some of things you set up the label to do? It certainly feels like we have begun to establish ourselves in the sense that we are not merely seen as a new label. People seem to perceive the label as a source of good music and consequently people are trusting what we are putting out, I think there's an understanding of what we are about; which I'm really proud of. Support for Narratives from our peers and the music buying public has been amazing and I think that's more than we had ever dreamt of… What are you working on for this year with the label? Narratives 007, which is by Overlook, is out in February which will then be followed by a solo Blocks EP. It kind of feels like Blocks & Escher output on the label has thinned because of remix work etc but we are rectifying that at present with a new 12" in the works. It's all systems go really, we just hope to keep writing music to develop the label and keep ourselves excited by the output. You’re appearing at the next Critical Music RM2 takeover, how does that feel? We are chuffed to be asked down to fabric for the first time as DJs and certainly proud to be on the same stage as all these artists not to mention in a club we've frequented for so long as punters! Do you think you look to Critical for inspiration in terms of d&b? I've known Kasra for a long time, since Critical’s humble beginnings I suppose so it's great to see how they have progressed and stamped their authority on the scene. As well as looking up to the label, I've looked up to the work Kasra has done behind the scenes; he's also my first port of call for record label advice! Who else are you guys following at the minute? Within drum & bass we are really into the likes of Overlook, Ulterior Motive, Paradox, Rhyming in Fives, SB81 amongst many others. Have you got more music coming up and out this year? Yeah the year is pretty busy with our first single coming on Metalheadz and a track for their Platinum Breakz album. We have also done a remix for Zomby and of course Enei on Critical. With this and a bunch of stuff for Narratives, it looks like a good year to come. Can you tell us a little bit about the mix you’ve made for us pls? We really wanted to put forward a mix that reflects our tastes as DJs, artists and label owners. Condensing it into a 30 minute mix is no mean feat but I hope it offers an idea of the differing styles we love while building through paces of dance floor action. We like to keep people on their toes... Blocks & Escher - FABRICLIVE x Critical Sound Mix Tracklist: Rhyming in Fives - Snow Capped Structures Special Forces - Stealth Overlook - Everything Counts Thing - Elysium Jubei & Consequence - Black Hornet NCQL - Breath of the Eve Rhyming in Fives - Exposed Instra:mental - Dead Zone Mako - Tell me Something SB81 - Unknown Blocks & Escher - Madness