Temple of Sound

by Greg PratoLed by a pair of multi-instrumentalists, Neil Sparkes and Count Dubulah, Temple of Sound mixes exotic world music sounds with modern day dance beats. Both members got their start as part of the U.K. dance outfit Transglobal Underground in the early '90s (specifically their 1993 debut, Dream of 100 Nations and 1994's International Times). By 1996, Sparkes and Dubulah decided to branch out on their own, leading to the formation of Temple of Sound. The duo recruited drummer Terry Neale, vocalist Diva Julianna, and bassist Lina Ikse Bergman, resulting in the release of their independent debut, Black Orchid. In 1999, Sparkes formed the side project Neil Sparkes & Last Tribe, issuing the album Burning Mask the same year. But Temple of Sound regrouped shortly thereafter, and in 2001, released their sophomore effort, People's Colony No. 1, which featured new vocalist Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali (the nephew of legendary qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) and bassist Jah Wobble, among others.