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User
Reviews 8
Approval 97%
Soundoffs 53
News Articles 59
Band Edits + Tags 57
Album Edits 135
Album Ratings 615
Objectivity 67%
Last Active 03-12-22 9:26 pm
Joined 04-30-07
Review Comments 9,167
| BT - A Primer
BT is a DJ known most for his pioneering of the Progressive Trance genre, and his landmark rrcontributions to electronic music in general. He's by far my favorite Electronic artist, and I rwant rto try and help people get into him more...so here's a short rundown of his albums, with rsamples. | | 1 |  | BT
Ima
["Nocturnal Transmissions" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUAkgfrVoxw] If you're new to BT,
try starting with his mid-'90's debut, 'Ima'. Here, you'll find him noodling with the conventions of
trance, creating compositions that may feature rises and falls and climaxes and denouements, but
aren't centered around them by any means. It's much more subtle than most of its peers, and
much more groovy, and it's these are the qualities that give it its charm--unlike most albums of the
time, you can actually enjoy this outside of the dance club (though it is still dance-worthy). 'Ima'
is consistent, worth exploring, and remains one of BT's best, and that's why it's such a good
starting point for new fans. | | 2 |  | BT
ESCM
["Flaming June" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfCc56njC7U] 'ESCM' is another good starting
point for new BT fans. This album finds BT experimenting a bit more, and branching out, exploring
sounds and genres that were ignored on 'Ima' (see "Memories In A Sea of Forgetfulness"). The
compositions are of more reasonable length (no LP-length tracks here), and are a bit more varied
from each other. Also..."Flaming June" is on this album. 'ESCM' is definitely one of the finest
Progressive Trance albums out there. | | 3 |  | BT
Movement In Still Life
["Godspeed" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHMm6W_042U] 'Movement In Still Life' was the first
album I heard by BT, and while it's not his best, it's probably my favorite for personal reasons. This is
where BT decides to make an album more suited to dance clubs and conventional trance mixes--
comparable to Paul Oakenfold's 'Bunkka'. The result is one of the best albums of its ilk...and a middle-of-
the-road one for BT as a whole. Gone are the 8-12 minute instrumental experiments in music, and in their
place are 4-6 minute trance singles with guest vocals all over the place. There're the ethereal female
vocals ("Dreaming"), the drawling half-rap of Soul Coughing's Mike Doughty ("Never Gonna Come Back
Down"), and even the shadows of what would become a worldwide hit ("Smartbomb," which would be
remixed and sampled by BT for N'Sync's "Pop," which he produced). So why is it my favorite? BECAUSE
IT'S FUCKING CATCHY AS HELL. I'm listening to "Never Gonna Come Back Down" as I type this, and when I
first discovered it, it quickly became my most played song of all time (it's still in the Top 10, according to
Last.fm). It's still quintessentially BT, but under the guise of pop, some may not be able to appreciate it
as such. Doesn't mean it's not worthy of a listen...and it certainly doesn't mean it isn't amazing. | | 4 |  | BT
Emotional Technology
["Superfabulous" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6Dtmvcttlg"] All things considered, this is
probably BT's weakest album. And by "all things considered," I'm including the fact that its got all of
BT's other albums to contend with. This album is like 'Movements...', except much more pop oriented.
It's still a trance album, but it's easy to see what it aims for, and it's not to be explored and admired
for its experimentation, but to be played at clubs and house parties needing some danceable jams.
On that front, it succeeds; "Somnambulist" remains one of BT's most well-known songs, and most of
the others on here fit the bill well. It's just that with what came before it, and especially with what
followed, this album falls through the cracks as far as essentialness goes. Still...it's a BT record, so
pick it up. | | 5 |  | BT
This Binary Universe
["Good Morning Kaia" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X22VahrpMR0] Okay, how to describe this?
If Post Rock and Trance requested Classical to bear their child for them, this would pop out. If you've
heard of BT here on Sputnik, chances are it's because of this album, and for good reason--it's one of
the most awe-inspiring Electronic albums ever. This coming from someone who knows nothing of music
theory or advanced math/music concepts; I'm told that if you do, this album is exponentially more
impressive. Bleak, and yet so heavy; calming, and yet calamitous...well, you don't need any more
hyperbole. Just make sure that when you listen to it (AND YOU WILL), that you understand that this
isn't like anything else in BT's discography up to this point (and hardly has a comparable album in
Electronic music, period); don't let this album ruin him for you. Also, don't be shocked if it takes you a
good long while to get into it--it took me years. | | 6 |  | BT
These Hopeful Machines
["Suddenly" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR38z2Eb3hM] Back to the known with this guy. This
is his latest album, and on it, he has finally found the perfect mix of Progressive Trance and
Pop...notable, because the Pop doesn't overpower the trance like it does on 'Emotional Technology', and
BT's signature sound shines through. "Suddenly" is the catchiest song I've heard since...well, since
"Never Gonna Come Back Down" (it also sounds really damn good in a quality set of headphones). There
are even a couple of instrumentals thrown in--"Le Nocturne De Lumiere" is particularly beautiful--and a
few songs with more instruments than vocals. It can definitely serve as a good first choice for a BT
album (though I still suggest one of his first two), but either way, make sure you take the time to listen
to it. | | 7 |  | BT
If The Stars Are Eternal So Are You And I
["Our Dark Garden" - http://soundcloud.com/bt/our-dark-garden-final-mix] BT is supposed to be
releasing two or three albums this year (2012). This one is actually late; it was supposed to have been
released on June the 12th, but it has yet to see the light of day, and no word has been given about its
delay. BT says that it's a direct follow-up to 'This Binary Universe'. Let the hype begin. | | 8 |  | BT
Morceau Subrosa
["Nicht Musik" - http://soundcloud.com/bt/nicht-musik-verkl-rung-no-2-in] This one will also be released in
2012 sometime, as well. BT describes this one as an electro-acoustic ambient album free of beats. Let the
hype begin again. | | 9 | | BT
(untitled)
["Must Be The Love" (w/ Arti feat. Nadia Ali) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aotBGCA57oU] BT
says that this as-of-late untitled album is supposed to be a follow-up to 'These Hopeful Machines', and
may be released either this year or next. I'll be hyped for it, at least. | |
Masochist
06.15.12 | My favorite electronic artist. I've been listening to the guy all day.
In case you read none of those descriptions, if you're new to BT and you want to try and get into him, try starting with 1 or 2; when you make it to 5, keep it far removed from everything else. Also, note the links to the songs I put in each description.
This list certainly didn't NEED to be made, but I'd love it if more people would give this guy a chance, especially beyond 'This Binary Universe'. Maybe this'll help a bit. | BarkHammer
06.15.12 | Flaming June is just incredible. | Deviant.
06.15.12 | BT hasn't used trance elements since Ima dude
You should check out These Re-Imagined Machines, it's a really solid remix album | Masochist
06.15.12 | "BT hasn't used trance elements since Ima dude"
What should it be classified as, then? I've always stuck it in with Trance because I honestly haven't known what to call it, and that's always what I see. That, and Prog House.
Also, ridiculously, I haven't heard Re-Imagined Machines. I'm not one for remix albums, but I'll give it a listen ;-) | Deviant.
06.15.12 | Yeah I know there's a stigma surrounding most remix albums, but this one is really solid. Plus it's a continuous mix (if memory serves) so there's a really nice flow to it
And, it's just house music. Progressive yeah sure, but he moved away from implementing Trance elements after Ima | ThroneOfAgony
06.15.12 | Personally, I thought ESCM was better than Ima. I don't know, for me, that album just had more beauty to it. My favorite off that album was 'Content', that unquestionably gorgeous piano line | ThroneOfAgony
06.15.12 | I MEAN SERIOUSLY HAVE ANY OF YOU HEARD CONTENT?? | Masochist
06.23.12 | TWO new BT albums released in the past week.
'If The Stars Are Eternal...' is billed by BT as the follow-up to 'This Binary Universe' 'Morceau Subrosa' is a 40:00-long ambient track. ENJOY.
Also...Dev - I looked up Prog Trance, and learned that it's a bit of a misnomer (and may not really exist). But I maintain that there are definitely Trance elements in his music post-'Ima'...especially on the more singles-oriented albums ('Movements...' and 'Emotional Technology').
Throne, I agree, I enjoy 'ESCM' a little more than 'Ima'. | StrangerofSorts
06.23.12 | A synopsis of the first track off If The Stars Are Eternal...: *nice floaty intro ambience* *slowly building up* *builds up some more* WUBWUBWUB WOMWOMWOM WUB WUB WEEEEEE WOM WOM *moment of reflection to contemplate what the fuck just went on* WUB WUM WUB WOOMMMMMM *omgwtf ambience*
| Masochist
06.23.12 | "13 Angels" was a bit of a shock with the build-up to that dubstep breakdown, but I can't say it sounded bad. It's certainly more bold than most of the sounds on TBU (with the exception of that eardrum-smashing second half of "The Antikythera Mechanism").
But the stuttering minimalism that defined TBU is certainly here. And so far, it really does sound like a follow up. |
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