No stranger to delivering that minimalist drum and bass flex on the dancefloor, the undisputed “king of the steppaz” known as T>I finally comes together in long-player form with his highly anticipated Blank Canvas album. Snatched up by none other than Critical Music, the razor-sharp vibes of T>I channel the barely restrained aggression of the lead single off the LP, ” Flick the Switch” featuring Inja.
While that cut has been crushing it in the hands of dnb VIPs all winter long, the cut is only the tip of the iceberg as T>I pulls out all the stops and delivers 13 sizzling burners that ride the fine line between rugged and smooth.
As T>I tells it: “[I’m] so glad this is finally put to bed and coming out. I loved this project more than any I’ve done before mainly because I had freedom to write what I wanted, as in when Kasra asked if I wanted to do the LP I was like yeah I’ll make some more techy rollers and Kasra said ‘no just do a T>I LP on Critical , so with that in mind I went and made what I enjoy playing. I make DJ tools, not anthems so I think I’ve cracked a good batch of tunes for DJ’s across the world to bang in a mix.”
The strategy has paid off as each of the tunes is capable of bringing the pain but none perhaps as expertly as “Pretty Little Thing” does for us at Bassrush HQ. From the insistent filtered groove that lights the fuse, T>I wastes no time in getting right into the thick of it with that signature crispy percussion he seems to pull together with effortlessly ease. Of course, the real magic lies in the way the elements all come together as the wall-rattling bassline and mid-range grind make for an untethered dive into pure dancefloor bliss.
Check the exclusive premiere of this one below and keep your eyes and ears open for the Blank Canvas LP to drop via Critical Music on March 6. You can pre-save/pre-order your own USB or digital copy of the full LP here.