Customer Reviews

Movement in Still Life

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As this is written there are 117 Amazon listener reviews of the American release of "Movement In Still Life". For this European release there are 5. There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that this is clearly the superior of the two by a wide measure, if quality is measured by the ability of the music to transcend it's various clear genres to communicate an intense, personal, deeply reflective, and intelligent set of ideas and emotions about life. Despite having many of the same songs, the American mix fails to accomplish this in any way. Naturally the European release is the less popular of the two. And isn't it sad that the public and the recording industry have this intimate symbiosis towards the insubstantial? Even the cover of the European release is transcendent with its elegant imagery, while the American cover is banal and superficial.

Again, this is a recording that transcends the limited aims of its various dance sub genres. In doing so it becomes a unified, cohesive statement, not the least because, unlike the American version, it contains a continuous mix of songs that flow as an organic, carefully modulated whole. The value of this accomplishment shouldn't be underestimated, because the listener is immersed and absorbed in this encompassing environment for the entire length of the recording, rather than bounced discontinuously from song to consecutive song. This is an immaculately engineered and produced recording. Often this can be a surface veneer that simply confines the product, but again this version rises to transcendence. There's an intense personal commitment that surges with compelling energy behind every second of this music. This is obviously not the rule, or the expectation, for most dance music, which has different, more limited goals for the emotional involvement of its listeners. There's no judgment here, just the observation that BT has risen high above that level of engagement to craft a unified statement that says something more for those who are fashioned to hear. The craft in these songs is unending, and the control of means, from the beats, to the instrumentation, to the orchestrations and arrangements, rides a perfect edge between control and expression. There's an emotional journey here, and the ride ebbs and flows with passion and conviction and endless satisfaction. Thus is this version a very high water mark of this genre, and a lofty recording by any measure.

I own both the Import and US versions of MISL, and I must say that this version (Import, yellow cover) is by far the superior of the two. I have written a review of the US version hoping to point people to get this version instead :) You can see what I think about it there. But overall, this is probably BT's best album so far. Emotional Technology is real good and I love it, but I have a weak spot for his trancey beats, which is used in full effect on this album. It's a great mix of breakbeat, full-on trance, dream house, and chillout tracks, and BT in his classic fashion sequences and mixes the track seamlessly, beautifully even. The version of Godspeed in this album is the best I've heard so far.

I heard that there is a 2-CD version of this album which includes bonus tracks and remixes, would love to get my hands of them if I can find it.

I just want to close off by saying that many people (including so-called 'dance music experts') call BT a DJ. While it's easy to think that way given BT's choice of music, BT as far as I know is the God of all electronic music producers, but he is NOT a DJ. Maybe by the time you read this he is learning to spin the wheelz of steel, but for now, I hope people give him the respect he deserves as a top-rate producer and not label him as a DJ simply because of the type of music he makes :) (No disrecpect to DJs cos I'm an aspiring DJ myself :P)

Enjoy!

This is the best of BT,extremely hard to find in stores...but you must get the much better,import version.American dj,BT makes some of the world's best dance music by combining techno with trance.The current BT is different from the "old skool"stuff like this.This album is full of energy and will keep you begging for more.Ya gotta have this one

This cover is yellow. I have a full orange cover on mine and i think there are a few different traxx -- it also says Version 1.01.

However i honestly reccomend this general album to ANYONE!!! BT begins to take you on a journey first from a phone call:"Uh i got your number right, dude told me you do some traxx right - i wanna be like you and make some beats" to stutters, samples, hi and lo BPMs, high-spirited vocals, booming bass and beats to bring you down from elation with the slow-dance "satellite". Here is the gold bit - the end of satellite begins his latest album "Emotional Technology". ;0)

I've been loving this album since stumbling upon it. this is an album worth having. :o)

This is the UK/European version of BT's Movement in Still Life. I have been a huge fan of BT since 98, and randomly stumbled upon this cd in a record store's import section... i was very happily surprised, considering the fact that i didn't even know one of my favorite artists had a new cd coming out.

In typical BT fashion, he explored new territory on this cd. During the first listen i was really surprised by some of the songs... the first 4 tracks didn't feel like BT at all. The progressive house of IMA and the new age posturing of ESCM seemed to have been thrown out the window, only to be replaced by harder-hitting beats in a techno-hip-hip hybrid. But as soon as track #5 came around, Mercury and Solace (easily one of my all-time fave BT tracks now), i knew BT had retained some of those early roots. The rest of the album will not disappoint fans of BT's first two albums at all. 'Dreaming' is amazing, and 'Running Down the Way Up' is also one of his best songs, in my opinion.

Overall, i would say this CD is right up there with his earlier works. The opening of the cd is refreshing, funky, and you can dance your ass off to it. The latter half is gorgeous, familiar, but also new and exciting. It is obvious that BT's producing skills are getting sharper and sharper with this album.

A few months later, i saw that the US version had been released... i was surprised to see that the tracklisting had been completely changed, with 4 songs completely replaced by 4 new ones. After hearing this version (one of my friends got it) i didn't even buy it. The new songs (smartbomb, shame, etc.) were alright, but not worth buying a whole new cd for. The cd had a totally new feel to it. Its a lot more mainstream / radio friendly. The songs are broken up, and no longer flow into one another, like on this version. Not that this is a bad thing, I'm very happy BT is breaking into the mainstream hear in the US, and this is definitely the way to do it. 'Never Gonna Come Back Down' is an great song, and a great single for the US (its still gettin played regularly in LA), but if you're gonna by this cd, i recommend you download that song and buy this version of the cd... it's better.

If you've listened to enough trance mixes you may already be familiar with BT. For example: BT's Godspeed and Dreaming are featured in some of Dj Micro's mixes ( Dj Mixed & Micro-Tech Mix 2.0 ). If you can recall, these tracks have been more than entrancing. This CD contains the whole package including those two amazing tracks and the other featured tracks in this mix is incredible! It is difficult to make a decision off the bat whether or not to get this CD since Amazon doesn't have a preview feature. But trust me, I took the plunge based on the reviews alone and I couldn't have been more pleased.

Here is a breakdown of some tracks on the CD:

1.) Movement In Still Life - This track is the intro to the CD and starts off with a skit phone call, with some guy (who sounds like some beat junky) talking, saying he wants to make some fresh hits. It's funny because he says to call him back @ his mom's house and if he's at his grandmas, call his pager. As cheezy as this sounds Track 1 quickly transitions into some hard hitting beats with a nice Urban B-Boy feel to it. 10/10

6.) Dreaming - This is a nice track. It starts out a little slow and gradually brings you back up to speed. This track features vocals by Kristy Hawkshaw whos voice is very soothing. Some insight to some of the lyrics included in the chorus are: "No words no talk, We'll go Dreaming; No Pain no hurt, We'll go Dreaming." Near the end of track the vocals reverb and fade into some motivating beats. 9/10

7.) Giving Up The Ghost - This track follows the previous track almost by suit and carries the same trance beat with some new sounds and synthesizers. Since this CD is a continous mix, I believe this track was included to support the next selection. Whether or not that's fact, the transition between these two tracks ( 7 & 8 ) are very tasteful. 8/10

8.) Godspeed - Here is where you want to turn up the volume, adjust your highs and lows, turn the bass down a few notches so the deep base on this track doesn't drown out the inspirational feel. As this track spins above the lasers of your CD player, the ground beneath you feet seems to vanish and leave you in suspense. The enticing female vocal quivers elate your senses and unexpected booms and repercussions of the base send you freefalling, landing within the tides of machine beats sending you to a far away corner of your brain so you can TRANCE OUT. I give this one an amazing 10/10.

10.) Running Down the Way Up - This is one of my favorite selections. This track starts out with an acoustic guitar interlude for about 20-30 seconds, then some attractive female vocals come to the forefront. The vocals really set the scene and are heard throughout the the entire track. What makes these vocals all the more appealing, the begining vocals are whiped with exotic reverbs and channel mixing which make this track what some refer to as "ear candy". Then the excitement ends with impressive electric guitar rifts and licks. I classify this one a 10/10.

I enjoyed this album much more than the US release. It's got a few different tracks and different mixes of most of the songs. Way less over-produced sounding. Classic BT.

I discovered BT and his music a month ago, and purchased the album "emotional technology". I enjoyed it but was a little dissapointed. But it (emotional technology) still made me a new fan. After reading the reviews and listening to samples for the imported movement in still life, I had to get my hands on it. This cd is about as close to perfection as they come. Every track was amazing, and you can tell BT had a lot of fun with the first 4 tracks! Another great aspect of the album is the transitioning of the genres of music. It starts out with some crazy break beat tracks, moves into progressive trance territory, crescendos and brings you down slowly with tracks 10 and 11. Very well done... Don't contemplate any longer on wether or not to buy this album. Get it now you won't be dissapointed.

By far the greatest thing this master of sound has released to date! BT has never been the stereotypical dance/trance artist with anything he's done, and with MISL he shatters that conception, proving once again that BT is a force to be reckoned with. From the beginning of the CD, BT takes you on a tour of his world of tasty knob-tweaking, effects-laden delights. From the humble and mid-tempo beginnings of the title track to the soft and sweet endings of "Satellite", you are taken on a non-stop journey through the annals of audio wizardry. BT brings you in slowly, builds the pace to a frenzied tempo, then releases you into a dream-like state of contentedness. I could write all day about how amazing this album truly is, but as with all art, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This album simply must be heard to be believed.

I bought this album mainly for the song "dreaming" it is one of my favorites by BT and I thought I would give his album a shot. The last time I listened to it was driving home late one night and it is good driving music. Definitely worthy of a listen.