BT

I wasn't sure what to make of this. I own all of BT's albums, and I love them all in their own way. I loved IMA, which was one of my first forays into electronica and trance, I loved ESCM, I loved the beats of Emotional Technology. This is unlike anything I have heard from him before, and really requires a dedicated listen.

This album isn't like those that you can just throw on and listen to while you are doing something else. You really need to just sit and listen to the music for what it is. At first I was turned off - being type "A", I have a hard time sitting still for anything. But you are rewarded with this album.

I'll be the first to admit - it won't be for everyone, but if you can really disconnect and try to plug into the music, this is one album where you really FEEL the music, and not just hear it. Closing your eyes and listening to this album is like going on an aural journey. It really is an incredible piece of work in its detail.

overall - 5 for 5. Highly recommend - but this isn't anything you would listen to in a club. Sit down on the couch, listen in 5.1, and just enjoy it for the musicality it is.

I honestly believe B.T. is the classical composer of our time - right up there with the best (Mozart, Beethoven and so on).

i understand how a lot of old BT fans are disappointed expecting to find beats droppped to be remixed and blasted on the dance floor. sorry, if marketers sold this as a dance album. if you are looking for the most beautiful, spiritfelt electronic music, here it is. a plus is that there are some beats injected into the songs. really, i thikn BT is just genius. this music makes my mind dream and my brain tick. this is where i go when i need a break from this world.

WARNING!!! THIS IS NOT TECHNO! BT really threw a lot of people off with this one. I like a lot of BT's work but this is nothing like what I've heard from him before. The whole CD is slow and ambient with no vocals, bass, or rhythm whatsoever. I didn't know what to do with this CD except fall asleep while I listen to it, which was annoying because a baby started crying in one of the songs WTF!? I don't think I've ever been as disappointed with a CD as I was with this.

First let me say Im a fan of much of BTs music. So I wanted to like this, but I just found this CD featureless and devoid of personality and emotion. It just felt contrived and formulaic, like BT was working to a record company deadline. Sure, it was immaculately produced and intricate, but to what end?.
The differences of opinion about this CD are interesting. Some people clearly loved it and I must admit I was influenced by the hype. But I find it difficult to play this CD right through without getting irritated by its blandness.

First of all this is a decent release. It's not great, not groundbreaking (we'll get to this in a moment) but it is good.

You would think from reading the reviews that BT will usher in an era of world peace and unity with this release. Unfortunately this is not the case. In fact, this cd is subpar when compared to the last three proper BT releases (soundtracks DON'T COUNT). This entire cd has been done before several times and much better.

Let's talk about ambient music. There's lots of types, noise, IDM, etheral, etc, etc... you'll find the latter two here and on a million other cds only you'll find them *MUCH* better elsewhere. Haujobb's Ninety Nine is probably the best example of IDM and far superior to anything BT has to offer in his repertoire. This is not to take away from BT's work but rather to add a dose of reality to these skewed reviews. Forma Tadre's Automate, Dead Voices On Air, Black Lung, also come to mind. BT's work is almost as good as any of these artists but certainly does not deserve the accolades here. Come on BT, we've learned to expect better than this.

The simple fact is that by reading these reviews you would think that NONE of the reviewers have ever heard a single other piece of electronic music. The loops on this cd are at best average and at worst sound like someone hitting the demo button on their synths. Come on, be a little more discriminating. Oh and anyone who thinks BT is so innovative has never heard a Skinny Puppy cd (vocal edit world record anyone? Gimme a break, I have tons of cds with more vocal edits than any of BT's work).

Trashing aside, this is a competent cd for anyone who wants to be INTRODUCED to the world of ambient music but this is still just scratching the surface of a genre that is MUCH MUCH MORE than the other reviewers here would have you believe.

I happily await a new BT release that will hopefully be a return to form.

Oh, BT, two words, alarm system.

The 25th anniversary collection was fabulous so I ordered this the minute I heard it was released...it does not disappoint. It covers the last 5 years gamut of films from lightweight to challenging musicalities. (personal favorite the more exotic disc 2). It is almost overwhelming trying to take in so many different films and guessing the composers to match the soundtracks. Thank you for also including a track from Lost - a real surprise. Producers - please don't make us wait another 5 years for another one!

The two previous "25th anniversary celebrations" from Varèse Sarabande are a must in any music library, not to mention if one likes cinema music (the real contemporary symphonic music, in my opinion). I was a little reluctant about this one at first, as it covers a very short time span (only five years), and many of the movies are unheard of...at least for me (I do confess I have disappointedly abandoned Western cinema for Far East one for quite some time now). However, the quality of the music is simply breathtaking. Virtually every track is worth to be listend to attentively. Pure musical enjoyment. Get it while supply lasts!!

Reading all the glaring reviews of CD's is very deceiving. I think maybe the majority are bogus because the few less than stellar reviews of this album are right on the money. Yes, there are some good tracks on this cd but there are many that are horrible. What's worse is the fact that some of the tracks are UNBEARABLE! and do not belong with the more positive high-energy ambient tunes that are here. Furthermore, the sound production is really bad. Most of the songs have such broad volume control spans that much of the song is not either heard or part of it is blaring and I am not talking about normal dynamics - I had to constantly adjust my stereo to get through listening to this album and I have never had to do that before.

Had all the tracks been produced better and grouped so that the album has an overall consistent mood, this could be a great CD when I say some tracks are unbearable, they really are. There is also typical filler songs so maybe you might find 3 tracks that are really good out of this whole CD. Too bad you cannot return these CD's once opened. The 30 seconds of samples on Amazon do not allow you to really hear these songs because the opening of this genres' songs often have very lengthy leads before they get to the good (or bad) body of the song.

This is a talented artist and there may be other better albums out there but I will say this - DO NOT believe all the 5 star reviews you read.

Pass on this one unless you want to buy a few tracks.

This guy is so out there you almost start to think "This music is just noise" or "He is a genius light years ahead of others". I lean towards the second statement but sometimes his music is a little hard to "get". This music is not for putting on for a casual listen, background party music. This music is a journey, something that demands your attention. I think to commit yourself to it, one would "get it" on a whole different level.

This CD is sadly dated. It sounds about as cheesy to me now (2007, a decade from when the CD came out) as cheap pop music from 1987 sounded in 1997. There is older electronica out there which has not dated nearly as much- say, Sasha & Digweed's "Northern Exposure" (1996), which has a somewhat similar feel, or The Orb's "Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld" (1994), though that may be too experimental for some.

I could see this being an OK intro to electronica for somebody who has listened to very little of it. If you have some electronica listening under your belt, stay away from this- it's a waste of your time and money.

This is my first BT album, and it certainly won't be my last. Although I don't really know a whole lot about electronic music (other than that I need to own a lot more of it), and I can't really explain to you what the hell "trance" music is, I do know that this is a really great album. BT, that is, Brian Transeau, is a master composer, who brings together so many different sounds and textures, into an album that is huge, epic, and awe-inspiringly beautiful.

The album begins with "Firewater", which is bookended by a cool spoken-word intro, and a nicely done vocal bit, sung by BT himself, over soothing acoustics (he actually kind of reminds me of former Spock's Beard frontman Neal Morse, as a singer). "Orbitus Teranium", "Flaming June", and the massive "Content" are beautiful instrumentals, with spell-binding synths and piano to adorn the infectious drum beats. The vocal tracks are pretty varied. "Remember" and "Lullaby for Gaia", which feature the lovely Jan Johnston, both have a nice pop element to them, although "Remember" is still very epic as well as catchy (killer string arrangements in there as well). "Memories in a Sea of Forgetfulness" has some kind of tribal chanting, adding a bit of a world music element to the album, "Solar Plexus" is a bit more hard rock, with more aggressive vocals and some semi-heavy guitar (reminds me a bit of Nine Inch Nails, although not quite that abrasive). "Love Peace, and Grease" has some altered robot-like vocals, and a little bit of rapping. This one has kind of a Chemical Brothers/Crystal Method kind of feel, very "rave-like", mixed with a bit of oldschool hip hop. The album ends, following "Content", with a short but sweet reprise of "Flaming June". Even at 70 minutes, it leaves you wanting more.

So as you can see, this is an extremely eclectic and enthralling album. Although it is a bit intense in places, it's mostly very tranquil and laid-back, perfect for chilling out to. I especially recommend putting it in around sunset. It evokes that feeling of the coming night perfectly (they didn't put that on the cover by accident). Whether you're a fan of electronic music or not, this is highly recommended. BT is a truly brilliant artist. Can't wait to hear "This Binary Universe". Hell, I want them all!

Ever since BT introduced Ima, electronic music changed forever. For all the years I have owned this album, it never fails to remain as rejuvinating and emotive as the first time it pierced my soul. Completely ignorant to genres, this statement of creativity connects globaly through music. It is a piece of music that was just meant to be, it exists because it should. Seven years have past and not a single sound on this recording goes unappreciated.

BT has always been one of my favorite trance artists. He has done a number of soundtracks including Go and Gone in 60 Seconds, I believe. He has a way of making an album flow effortlessly. Movement in Still Life ventures into the hip hop as well as his amazing trance fare. Songs like Dreaming and Satellite, the latter of which, I believe, is his own vocals. BT seems to have an instinct for making trance with amazing vocals (Kirsty Hawkshaw is just one of the artists he works with...His music and artistry is impeccable. Songs which are all time classics in the world of trance. Love on Haight Street is a funky breaks song. I think if ever you could buy an album to rock out to and also enjoy some dreamy trance, then this would be it. This album is probably a good decade old and I could play it over and over not getting tired. I am always blown away by the way BT (Biran Transeau) can effortlessly make original music. To me this is the perfect example that techno is not just some dumb music. This guy is a musical genius!!

Short version: The track selection and mixing on the UK version makes it the best BT album ever, in my humble opinion. The subpar selection of tracks, as well as the random placement of tracks and lack of mixing, make the USA version less than it ought to be.

Long version: I rank MiSL beside Hybrid's Wide Angle in terms of complexity, originality, composition, mood, and just plain groove. It is very obvious that BT lives and breathes music, and that he has been well-educated in the ways of his craft. However, I would not have bought this album had I not heard the UK version. The UK release of MiSL by BT is an EDM classic. This... thing that was given to us in the USA is a crime against the man's reputation. The seamless mixing that would make any DJ jealous is totally absent. Instead, each track just slams in or creeps up shyly. The songs are not bad, but they are not nearly as good as the selections featured on the UK release. On the UK version, there is not a bad song. On such mediocre fare as "Never Gonna Come Back Down", we are treated to a barely bearable voice spitting out very bad freestyle. The track would have been better if BT had not let some fool sing over it. While some of the USA-only titles are not bad (Smartbomb, for example), I would gladly trade all of them for "Giving up the Ghost" alone.

All in all, I would not recommend buying this item. The UK version, believe it or not, really is worth the $40 when compared to the USA version. They both make me cry, but for totally different reasons.

I'm not going to write a tediously long review. I'm a professional musician. This is a record you need to hear. You will meet people that will dislike it. Regardless, this is one of those records that permanently changed the scene. You might not like it but if you care at all about the history/evolution of popular electronic music you need to know this record. The influence of this album from the very subtle to the drastic is apparent in nearly every meaningful breaks album since. I could go on and on about minor technical flaws and even more minor artistic flaws but it would all be academic. Educate your brain... and maybe at the same time you'll be fantastically entertained.

"Madskillz" being the opening song on this collection of dance infused anthems, I thought that this was going to be another one of those DJ albums where substance was sacrificed for sound. Fortunatley, "Never Gonna Come Back Down" was next and while it really made no sense at all, it still held my attention with its no nonsense approach. I love the song "Dreaming" because it starts off with the hint of being a lullaby like ballad but evolves smoothly into a trance like forray of beats and melodies. "Shame" has the sound of Depeche Mode written all over it and that influence makes the song so much more likable. The title cut is decent but kind of like "Madskillz" and BT just blows me away with "Satellite" a soft, accoustic driven song that has some rather depresing undertones. What I find interesting about this collection is many of the songs read like poetry and are emotionally expresive. Both "Godspeed" and "Smartbomb" have been featured in movie soundtracks and after listening to them, it is no shock as to why. This album is one of the best DJ albums out there and it delivers the goods without very many disapointments!

Let me put it this way: If I were to be stranded on an island, with a CD player, and batteries grew on the trees there, and was only allowed to bring five CDs with me, two of them would be "Movement In Still Life".
Yep, I said two.
Some goof decided to release this album twice with slightly different versions of the same songs, and put a couple of SLAMMING tracks exclusively on each one. "Namistai" and "Giving Up The Ghost", 2 of my favorite tracks on the yellow cover version, have been conveniently left off the BT cover version. Vice versa with the best track out of both versions in my opinion, the almighty "Smartbomb". Not to mention the yellow cover version is a continuous mix of tracks, while the other version has each track separated by a couple of seconds of agonizing silence. When I love every single track(and I mean that) on an album, I want the experience to be a never-ending trip. What good is getting laid if you're stopping every 5 minutes?
I didn't care much for Ima, ESCM was fantastic, and Emotional Technology, his next full album after MISL, was nice, but none of them compares to MISL. EITHER version. So I say, if you have the dough and can find both versions, get them. It's worth it.
BT is a classically trained musician, and it shows most of all on this album. This is far from the "bum-sss-bum-sss-bum-sss-bum-sss" drivel. This is driving, soothing, peaceful and violent all at the same time, with beats that will nod your head straight off your shoulders, and melodies that twist, turn, and groove. Songs you can cruise to ("Love on Haight Street"), pop-lock to (title track - watch for that funky-ass break!), or put the moves on that first date to ("Satellite") - and while that may sound like your average pop album (keep in mind BT DID do a track for N'Sync's "Celebrity" album, called "Pop"), once you listen, you realize - BT cannot come wack with his music. It's damn near impossible. Vocals - meh, those could use some work, but the music is that good, I don't care about the vocals. Most of these songs could work on a movie soundtrack or commercial, as well.
To put it quite simply BT/Dance=Dr. Dre/Rap. Both know their craft, and can crank out a hit on a whim. It's a shame this album wasn't promoted more, but that makes it all the more a gem. If you like dance music that's not just for dancing, don't sleep. If you want an introduction to BT, don't sleep. And if you like this album, and want to hear more, try "Emotional Technology", an album that's not quite as good, but is closer in style than say, ESCM, an album from which BT seemed to begin his evolution from Enigma to who he is today.
An amazing album.

Well, that old saying "You get what you pay for..." certainly holds true with this CD - BT Emotional Technology Special Collectors Edition! What a fantastic CD if you are a BT fan (and quite possibly if you aren't!) I had previously purchased the regular BT copy of this same CD and it contained 1 CD AND different tracks (two of which I didn't care for - "Animals" and "Blue....." (something with Tori Amos, I also didn't care for). This CD has two different tracks on it - "Kimosabe", and "The Revolution" that are just not only AWESOME tracks, but a continuation of the whole theme of this CD. But the CD ALSO contains a bonus second CD disc with remixes of some more popular tracks like "Force of Gravity", "Somnambulist", "Superfabulous" and others...This is just a really good mix of music from BT that has both some more mellow tracks of his, as well as his traditional style music that is heard on movie soundtracks and the TV series CSI and such. It's a great CD to pop in the CD changer in the car and really crank up if you have one of those really boring communtes to and from work - or just a long monotonous drive somewhere. It will ABSOLUTELY make your drive much more pleasant! For BT fans - a "must have", and I would spend the extra money on this "special edition" copy (but buy it used if you can) and nix the regular edition (unless you really like Tori Amos' voice)....

So BT's rereleased this album and changed the tracklist somewhat... notably, adding "Kimosabe" and "The Revolution", both incredibly strong tracks that were, until the rerelease, homeless.

The issue is that BT's cut some killer tracks as well... "Circles" is one of my favorite tracks from the record and it's been axed to make way for Kimosabe. Not that Kimosabe isn't a great song, but I don't think BT was wise to play fast and loose with the content of what always was a spectacular album.

If you're a true blue BT fan I recommend trying to find a copy of the Japanese import of the record... it contains the ORIGINAL tracklist, plus "Kimosabe", "The Revolution", and "Love in the Time of Theives"... the three new tracks that appear on this disc. It also has "Tao of the Machine", a track BT did with the Roots which is pretty bangin'. The Japanese import even has MOST of the track remixes that the 2007 reissue of the disc has.

So, long story short, if you're gonna go all out and get a two-disc version of this record, spend the little extra and dig up a Japanese copy of the record; you shant be disappointed

_J

I found out about BT from a guy I work with. He said that BT was really a Techno artist, so that was pretty much what I was expecting. Wow, was that ever wrong. The songs have everything from techno to ballads to Gospel, with amazing chords, funky bass lines, and pillow-smooth multi-part harmonies. This is now my favorite CD...finally, I have found something to replace Seal's "System".

Standouts on "Emotional Technology" include "Dark Heart Dawning" (Track 6) and "The Only Constant is Change" (Track 13). It is worth buying the CD for these 2 alone. For best results, play on a premium sound system with extra bass and a drink in hand, and experience what great music really is. Don't miss the boat on this one...get it now.

Emotional Technology picks up right where Movement In Still Life (European-Yellow Cover-1999) leaves off. He starts this album with the same sounds he used to end his last one, signifying that BT is back, and it's the same BT you've always known- only with a more vocal approach.
I love the way that he can go from genre to genre in from one song to another. From the rap/breakbeat 'Knowledge of Self' to the electronic pop-sounding song 'Superfabulous,' to the pure-bread electronica track 'Somnambulist,' to the slowed down, heartfelt 'The Force of Gravity,' to the soul of 'Dark Heart Dawning,' you can tell that you're listening to true talent at work.
The album begins to slow down in the middle of 'The Force of Gravity' (yes, in the song) but by no means is that a bad thing. 'Dark Heart Dawning,' 'The Great Escape,' and 'PARIS' are astounding songs, just with a slower tempo. Then it comes in with one of my favorite BT songs, 'Circles,' slows down a bit with 'The Last Moment of Clarity,' goes acoustic/electric with 'Animals,' and ends with another heartfelt song, 'The Only Constant Is Change."
As you can clearly see, this album is a rollercoaster of emotions, ideas, and music styles. If you're a new BT listener, you MUST hear this because you will not be dissappointed. If you're a long time BT fan, what have you been waiting for? Buy this CD now!

Good, but the bonus CD makes the package

YESSS this is a classic , i have been caching up with some CDs i think are great so this means that some of the music that i am reviewing is "old", said this , let me tell you that this album haven't got old at all .

Yes there are some new albums that sound more avant gard but first than nothing this is not a DJ album , BT made and played all the music by himself so this means that the DJs play his music in their sets and if you listen to one of the many "modern" sets that a lot of DJs are playing right now you will not notice BIG difference between IMA and what is going on now .

In my humble opinion this guy is the father of what we call now progressive eather house or trance , so if you have an open mind to listen this album without thinking that it is going to sound old go for it!!!!!! this is a master piece .

My only negative coment is that his latest works haven not been as good as the old ones.

I wish BT could pull off something like this again. I'll keep this review short. It is a quality cd, good for rainy days especially.

**Oops... This is supposed to be a 5 star rating.**

This was the first album from BT, it's almost as good as his second. Most of the songs are dream dance and very pleasant. Sure he developed and made an even better work the next time but this album made a way for many other out there, just like Robert Miles did, BT also made a wonderful work here. Meliodic and deep songs, very diffrent from previous trance music released. "Noctural transmission" "Quark" "Embrace the future" and "Deeper Sunshine" are my favorites. The very long song "Sasha's voyage" is a masterpiece but check the song with Tori Amos "Blue skies" too, not one of my favorites but interesting. This was perhaps a little bit incomplete and could have been and sount even better but you'll know what was coming. If you like this kind of music, then yiu'll love this.

If I had to vote for best electronica album ever, I might give Ima the nod. Combining lilting melodies with righteous grooves, Ima warms your heart, while forcing you to shake your booty. The way it builds and fades is incredible in a subtle way, unlike the often overbearing transitions in so much trance music. The first disc isn't even mixed, yet the music flows perfectly.

Despite the disappointment in his latest album, you really got to give BT props for giving us this masterpiece.

Constantly keeping his listeners on the edge with his cutting edge releases, BT's first CD is in retrospect very good, but nowadays sounds rather dated. Compare this to other releases around the same time frame (circa 1996) and you'll see what I'm saying.

This however does not detract from the obvious quality of this production. If your looking for a text book definition of what uplifting, melodic trance sounds like, look no further. Classics like Embracing the Sunshine, Embracing the Future, Quark, and Loving You More effortlessly transport you to a different universe, where Tripping the Light Fantastic (a personal favorite) and Deeper Sunshine keep the album honest (and out of the Robert Miles' realm of uber sap). If anything this mix is an excellent starter for someone looking to explore BT's catalog or new listeners of the trance genre that are looking for a solid entertaining production.

The song is pushing one to maximise his resources to optimum to get more than the expected result.

If it dont turn you on step back leave it alone,need i say more.Bt express was one of those goups in the 70,s that had a grove that you could not sit down to.This cd has the best of bt to me the song i like it starts with a funky bass line that is timeless.as a matter of fact jimmy jam and terry lewis samples there stuff all the time for janet jackson(alright with me)alot.So if you are a fan of early funk this is the cd for you enjoy!

Great love story with all a full spectrum of emotions, characters, and plot twists. Wonderful acting and casting. Great score, soundtrack, and scenery. A must view.

A gentle romantic drama starring Jennifer Garner and directed by Susannah Grant, Catch and Release follows the fortunes of young thirtysomething Gray Wheeler (Garner), whose idyllic life is thrown into turmoil when her fiancé is accidentally killed on his bachelor party weekend. Struggling to come to terms with the loss, as well as the fact that she may not have known her husband-to-be as well as she thought she did, she turns to his three best friends, Fritz (Timothy Olyphant), Dennis (Sam Jaeger) and Sam (Kevin Smith), to help her move on. Trance music composer Brian Transeau, better known as "BT", teamed up with Guns `n' Roses bass player Tommy Stinson to write Catch and Release's score - which, considering the backgrounds of the composers - turned out to be light and undemanding, with little or no influence from either the trance music or metal scene. Synths, strumming acoustic guitars and soft pianos dominate proceedings, and as befits the tone of the film, the music is hopeful, subtly upbeat and reconciliatory. Cues such as "Fritz and Gray", "Ski Skates Mellow", "River Opening" and "Fritz Leaves" are all quite attractive in their way, but sound more like soft country-rock instrumentals than a traditional film score, and ultimately don't leave much of an impression once the CD has elapsed its 34 minute running time. It's very different from the aggressive music BT wrote for The Fast and the Furious in 2001, and different again from the vaguely threatening ambiences he provided for Monster in 2003, but it at least provides something of a new side to the man from Maryland.

BT and Stinson are incredible at what they do. This score is one of the best I have heard. I am able to sit down and just listen to this to relax or even write a paper. Worth listening to.

I came to this project by way of Tommy Stinson. I've been a huge Replacements fan for a long time as well as a fan of Tommy's various other projects. I wasn't very familar with BT before this, but the electronica thing turned me off a bit. I buy everything Tommy does, so i picked it up and immediately fell in love with it. It's mostly acoustic guitar picking with soft atmospherics layered behind it. The only complaint i have is that some of the songs are too short, but that's to be expected because these songs were written for specific scenes in the movie. This record is very mellow and moody; I recommend it to fans of Tommy or anybody into relaxing music.

As a big BT fan, I picked this up looking forward mostly to the second disc. BT's "Rare & Remixed" mix CD is easily the best mix CD I've ever heard, and really brings forth his abilities as an artist and remixer. This, however, just falls flat on its face.

Disc One:
This is where you begin to understand that BT started in the very early 90s, and this sort of sound coming from this guy sounds very weird. The first three tracks, "The Moment of Truth", "Relativity", and "Embracing the Sunshine" all sound straight out of the early 90s, which handicaps them to begin with. They are very clunky and formulaic. If you're a huge BT fan, there may be some points of interest in these 3, but other than that, you sort of cringe when hearing them.

"Loving You More", "Blue Skies", "Believer", and "Remember" show off his work that really got him noticed, but even they sound a bit dated too. A good intro to people unaware of BT's work, but otherwise, BT fans will have heard these anyway.

"Love, Peace, and Grease" is a good little groove, but some things need tightening, and it just doesn't FEEL right. Also, the abrupt cut at the end really could've been easily fixed...

The edit of "Flaming June" is good to have in, probably his most famous trance piece. However, since this style of dance music has been COMPLETELY overplayed, "Flaming June" doesn't seem all that special, other than a nice melody overtop of a standard beat. Not BT's fault, but the wind is out of the sails on this one by now.

"The Road to Lostwithiel" is a juvenile attempt at drum 'n bass, and is overly boring and repetitive. An interesting direction, but it grows old VERY fast. Repeat same criticism of "Lullaby for Gaia"...

"Dreaming (Libra Mix)" is ok, but you really can't outdo the album version. It's a good mix, but then it DRAGS ON for FAR too long without changing anything. Album version is far stronger...

"Giving Up the Ghost" is a good tune actually, and really gets the feet moving, although it too is pretty long. It has a better groove though, so it doesn't pale so quickly.

"Never Gonna Come Back Down" is a pretty decent and catchy tune, a good one for anyone yet-to-be-introduced to BT's work. For big BT fans, you'll pretty much skip this one, it sounds basically the exact same on the album version.

"The Revolution" provides a decent end, with good slick production, nice beats, and a decent pace too. All in all, the only things worth your money on disc one are "The Revolution", "Giving Up the Ghost", and "Love, Peace, and Grease". The others you've either already own or are unbelievably bad. For unintroduced BT fans, tracks like "Flaming June", "Blue Skies" and "Dreaming" will serve as good jumping points to find his artist albums, but that's about it.

Disc Two:

A continuous mix of rarities and remixes done by BT...

"Tripping The Light Fantastic" is a great trance tune, works really well as a starter, and keeps the energy going. "Dreams (BT's Circadian Dream)" is ok, but feels a bit dated, same with Billie Ray Martin's "Running Around Town (BT's Shelter Mix)". They keep the groove going, but feel kind of, well...old!

Then it all falls apart. Grace's famous "Not Over Yet" is remixed here, and it is GODAWFUL. I highly recommend the version on "Rare & Remixed", called "Not Over Yet (BT's Spirit of Grace Mix), but this version is just bland and boring. A way-too-simple groove underlies Grace's lyrics and sucks all of the momentum and life out of the song. I could hardly believe that BT did this mix, and that in the liner notes, he called this mix his favourite!

"Nanita (A Spanish Lullaby)" and "Stranded" fail to provide any kind of catchiness or to at least keep the energy level up, I was really surprised at how weak these tunes were.

"The Promethean Groove" is easily one of the most annoying tunes I've heard in a LONG time. The high pitched squelches just turned me right off, and they sounded very unoriginal to boot. Even if you're a fan of that sort of thing (i.e. Aphex Twin), it really isn't done well either, and it totally sticks out like a sore thumb in this mix. We're literally going from nice pop vocals and boring grooves to ear-piercing and EXTREMELY repetitive tones.

A decent tune follows up at least, with "Anomaly: Calling Your Name", although songs like this have since been totally ripped off, so it sounds a bit stale at this point.

"Quark" starts off quite well, but gets into a VERY annoying old school sounding melody halfway through that pretty much ruins everything.

Then we get on to the biggie. The one that could save the whole disc. Madonna's "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" remix by BT and Sasha. Surely these two guys would turn this into something wonderful. Well, they don't, and its a HUGE disappointment. It's just a really uninteresting little bassline and beat with the occasional Madonna vocal overtop. It is ridiculously boring, UNBELIEVABLY repetitive, and it sucks any last bits of energy out of the mix. I can't believe they made this mix, especially after knowing what BT is capable of (see: Mike Oldfield's "Let There Be Light", Sarah McLachlan's "Hold On", The Doors' "Break On Through", for instance). HUGE let down.

"Bad Girl" is half decent, although you're still getting over what the hell just happened to that Madonna tune.

BT doesn't fall flat on his face quite as badly with his remix of The Crystal Method's "Keep Hope Alive", easily one of the biggest electronica songs of the 1990s, and considered a classic by many. He makes a fairly decent groove that changes JUST enough over the VERY LONG length of the song to keep it from getting boring. Good elevation and surges make it a decent mix.

Then it falls apart AGAIN, with "Shineaway". The vocals are HORRIBLE, the guy sounds like he ran into the studio, didn't warm up, took one take, and got the hell out because he had bigger fish to fry. What a tremendously BAD ending that leaves an awful taste in your mouth. Should have finished with "Keep Hope Alive"...

Overall, a VERY disappointing album, despite having 28 songs on it! Only about 5 or 6 are decent, and NONE of them are truly great. I HIGHLY suggest buying "Rare & Remixed" instead.

I just bought this album and i think BT is a real good producer and Dj. i'm a big follower of his music and i really think you should own this album because it can be used really well for mixing at partys or lounge clubs.

Everything I needed to know about music I learned from BT.

This CD could be given THAT title instead. CD1 perfectly captures his greatest hits (indeed), from "Flaming June" to "Lullaby for Gaia" to "Blue Skies". But the real stickler for buying this CD is "Giving Up the Ghost", which is his greatest song ever and deserves repeated listening.

What's so problematic is disc 2. Most of the tracks are monotonous, repetitive, and boring. There's a big bright spot in the middle, from "Nanita (A Spanish Lullaby) (Voltaire Organica Rmx)" to the anthemic and moving "Quark (Coolaid Rmx)"--which was good enough as is, yet they somehow made it better--there is something to enjoy on disc 2. It's just you have to wade through nearly 35 minutes of shlock to get to it. (Not "Tripping", though. "Tripping" was the best song on IMA.)

The CD is an enjoyable experience, but the entire thing feels kind of like a letdown, especially since out of 2 and a half hours of music, only about half of it is really worth listening to. The second CD is just not worth adding an extra $10 to the price (hah, at least I didn't pay for it). BT fans will be interested in the history (hint: it also could've been called "10 Years in the Hair"), and the first CD is a superb listen, but the peaks are a little outweighed by the valleys.

I'm sorry but after having heard so much about him, I had a go and checked this CD out. Terrible. The songs are lame, and there is nothing here that jumps out and grabs me. I was expecting a lot more. He must have friends in high places because talent alone didn't get him where he is today.

This 2 disc set is a must have for any BT fan! From club house to trance beats, this set covers it all! Madonna 'Drowned World/Substitute for Love' remix is the best!

The music are involving, beautiful. BT got right in full to composing these music. The film is fantastic. Without a doubt, one of the best soundtracks that I already heard.

Monster is bound to be underestimated by the average movie viewer. This is a shame, since the movie has a thorough narrative and overall excellent performances.
The greatest bonus, however, is the score composed by BT. It heightens the emotional aspects of the movie wonderfully, serving not only as a back-up to the scenes, but also as an integrated part of the whole feel and ambient provided by the director.
This is an excellent buy for all score fans.

One of the most satisfying sets by BT. This is an evergreen set to relax with. Good mixing and track selections

I've never seen the movie Monster, nor do I want to. However, I'm a very big fan of BT. This CD is one of his best, by my account. It's a rollercoaster of a CD, some times cheery, others down-right desolate. His inclusion of the Hurdy Gurdy (however you spell it) makes for a very interesting flavor, and often is responsible for the sad, haunting tone. I don't get much chance to listen to the DTS disk, but what times I have, the surroud sound adds some great nuances. I recommend this CD as long as you're not suicidal, because this would be a great soundtrack to sit, think over your happy childhood, then wallow in your dispair as you bleed out.

p.s. I've heard a few songs in recent movie trailors. I wonder if they'll be included in those soundtracks, too.

Brilliant inspiration by a tragic life story. Inspiration which lead us to a consciousness expanding experience. Its intrinsic beauty lead our senses upward to ever higher levels where we feel deeply the fragility of human nature and the importance of nurturing compassion and unconditional forgiveness and love for all human beings.