Power To The T

T Power "The Self-Evident Truth Of An Intuitive Mind" (Sound Of The Underground Records)




Mark Royal AKA T Power upped the stakes in the drum n bass world of 1995 when he created this superb sprawling beast. Said to be the first dnb concept album, this is perhaps an unfair label. You won't find any self-indulgence or pointless fillers - just adrenaline rush electronica at its very best. Tracks blend into one seamless, exhilarating journey, but still manage to retain individuality. The mood shifts constantly to keep your ears glued to every bleep and bass boom and just as you lock into one groove, something unexpected lunges out of the speakers and whips you off in another direction. An intriguing and bizarre selection of sampled voices throughout adds to the drama.

Not truly a drum n bass or techno album, but somehow managing to straddle both, I would recommend this to any fan of either. Mark Royal is up there with Aphex Twin, Orbital, Kraftwerk et al in terms of innovation and technical prowess. I bought this album after being blown away by his live show, and it has been lodged firmly in my top 10 ever since.

Subsequent output has never quite lived up to this stunning debut, though albums like 'Waveform' and 'Long Time Dead' still have moments that match the heady intensity on show here but lack the consistency and focus of The Self Evident Truth Of An Intuitive Mind.