With True To You, UK duo MENTALI6X continue a trajectory that has been quietly but steadily gaining weight within contemporary Drum & Bass. Following two consecutive weeks of support from BBC Music Introducing, the track arrives not as a reactionary follow-up, but as a deliberate consolidation of identity. Positioned as the flagship 2026 single for the BLACK WAXX label, True To You frames itself as a statement of intent: energetic, focused, and grounded in experience rather than trend.
Rhythmically, the track sits firmly in high-tempo UK Drum & Bass territory, yet avoids the sterile efficiency that often flattens modern D&B productions. The breakbeat framework is tight and forward-driven, but there is a subtle elasticity to the groove that keeps it breathing. The drums hit with clarity and intent, engineered for maximum impact without tipping into excess. Kick and snare are locked in a way that feels physical rather than purely technical, reinforcing the track’s club-readiness while retaining a human pulse underneath the precision.
Bass plays a central role, as expected, but True To You resists the temptation to overwhelm. Instead of a single dominant low-end motif, the bassline evolves in layers, alternating between sustained pressure and more agile, responsive movements. This approach creates a sense of motion rather than brute force, allowing the track to maintain momentum across its runtime. The bass does not simply follow the rhythm; it converses with it, shaping the energy of each drop and release.
The synth work provides a contrasting sense of openness. Melodic elements are polished yet restrained, leaning toward emotional clarity rather than maximalist spectacle. Pads and leads are deployed with purpose, often arriving just long enough to lift the atmosphere before giving way again to rhythm and bass. There is a careful balance here between accessibility and grit: the melodies are immediately legible, almost radio-facing, but never at the expense of the track’s underground backbone.
Vocally, True To You embraces clarity without drifting into overproduction. The vocal presence functions less as a narrative centerpiece and more as an emotional anchor, reinforcing the track’s core philosophy of authenticity. Rather than dominating the arrangement, the vocals integrate smoothly into the broader sonic architecture, adding warmth and cohesion while allowing the instrumental components to remain central.
Atmospherically, the track reflects the duo’s extensive background across different eras of electronic music. There are echoes of 90s and early 2000s rave culture in the way tension is built and released, particularly in the transitions leading into the drops. At the same time, the overall sound design is unmistakably contemporary, benefiting from modern production standards and a clear understanding of current dancefloor expectations. This duality gives True To You a sense of continuity, as if past and present are briefly aligned within the same frame.
Behind the track is the combined experience of Jon Merritt and Marcus Voss, whose complementary roles are audible throughout. Technical precision and structural discipline meet instinctive movement and atmosphere, resulting in a production that feels both controlled and alive. Recorded in Merritt’s Bournemouth studio, the track carries a certain grounded energy, free from the pressure of external gloss, focused instead on feel and flow.
As a successor to New Beginnings, True To You does not attempt to escalate purely through volume or speed. Its strength lies in refinement. It captures the high-octane energy associated with MENTALI6X’s DJ sets while translating that intensity into a cohesive studio statement. The result is a Drum & Bass release that understands its function on the dancefloor but is equally attentive to detail, balance, and emotional resonance.
In doing so, True To You reinforces MENTALI6X as a project rooted in experience, not nostalgia, offering a confident snapshot of where their sound stands now—and where it is clearly heading next.