TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Album Reviews / New Releases Discussion
-- BT - This Binary Universe
Pages (13): « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 [12] 13 »

Wow I really regret my original post. I think I just went into this with an idea of something completely different and was dissapointed that it didn't live up to what I thought it to be. However, I am giving it a second go around with an open ear this time and really find this deep and enigmatic. I am beginning to really enjoy it for what it is now.

quote:

Originally posted by Trazedict Wow I really regret my original post. I think I just went into this with an idea of something completely different and was dissapointed that it didn't live up to what I thought it to be. However, I am giving it a second go around with an open ear this time and really find this deep and enigmatic. I am beginning to really enjoy it for what it is now.

+ 1 ... before i only liked 1.618, i really like the last 4 tracks now, especially Antikythera Mechanism, in the end the second best album of the year in my opinion.

Like some others, I listened to this in the darkness of my room a little after midnight (though driving at night wouldn't be so bad either) with an awesome pair of headphones (at least the best I've ever heard... my new MDR-V600's -- anyone recommend a better set?) and this album was amazing.

I read through all the replies here to see what others thought, and I realize some people have different opinions, that's all expected, but I don't entirely agree with why they didn't like it. For the most part, people who didn't like the album seemed to be describing a completely different album all together! Or the explanations were so laughable, I couldn't take them serious (like the short comment, "This album is shit" or the one about being able to reproduce this with pots and pans.)

Every so often, I come across something that is so grand and breath-taking, that I don't quite understand how others can't enjoy it. Or at least appreciate it. It's like The Fountain, which I just recently saw... it was easily the most beautiful movie I've ever seen. Did I 'get' all of it? Well, not at first -- I had to read some lengthy explanations, theories, etc. and dive into discussions, but that was all part of the greatness of it.

But the people who don't like The Fountain, and this album respectively -- well, it's hard for me to understand why. Some things that I like, it's easy to see why others won't like it... but you know, it's like a work of art -- a painting, a sculpture, even a building... sometimes things are so amazing that when someone comes along and says they don't like it, you kind of just want to say, "You're wrong." And often times, it makes me think they're just saying that to go against the flow and get a reaction out of people.

I mean, c'mon... this is quality from start to finish, and I haven't even watched the DVD yet -- just the sounds alone were something magnificent. And I can't say which track is my favorite, because I never felt like I was listening to one song at a time -- it was the entire scope of it that made it great.

Highly recommended.

quote:

Originally posted by Loignite Every so often, I come across something that is so grand and breath-taking, that I don't quite understand how others can't enjoy it. Or at least appreciate it. It's like The Fountain, which I just recently saw... it was easily the most beautiful movie I've ever seen. Did I 'get' all of it? Well, not at first -- I had to read some lengthy explanations, theories, etc. and dive into discussions, but that was all part of the greatness of it. But the people who don't like The Fountain, and this album respectively -- well, it's hard for me to understand why. Some things that I like, it's easy to see why others won't like it... but you know, it's like a work of art -- a painting, a sculpture, even a building... sometimes things are so amazing that when someone comes along and says they don't like it, you kind of just want to say, "You're wrong." And often times, it makes me think they're just saying that to go against the flow and get a reaction out of people.

Yeah I loved the Fountain and This Binary Universe. I don't feel like writing a long reply right now (probably tomorrow) but I will say that one of the reasons why people don't seem like these kinds of things, is that people (esp in the US it seems) are so used to convetional things, whether it's music, movies, ideas etc. They don't often like to "think outside of the box" or experience things that may be "different" or "alien" to their established thinking or experiencing of reality. To put it plainly, people just want to be amused..entertained...a quick thrill. They would rather be spoonfed a story rather than think about it deeper. And I guess not everyone is of the same level of thinking..not everyone is a deep thinker like me and you (which I assume you are). Believe me, i've tossed with this too, but I think I can understand where they come from. People are just used to movies and music simply being entertaining. The Fountain and TBU require you to think a bit deeper, to explore them..experience them on another level.

Definitely -- and I can understand where they are coming from, because I enjoy simple entertainment as well. One of my favorite movies is 'Commando' -- while it's clearly not the best movie ever made, I gotta say, I love seeing Arnold just get so serious and own everyone (more or less) and I have to believe that they knew what they were making... I mean, just watching the intro of Commando lets you know you're watching the king of 80s B-Action movies.

It's harder to come up with an example for music though ;-/

Somewhere, someone, while listening to this BT album, is thinking, "This sucks because it's not _________."

Btw, I watched the DVD that came with this album... it was nice -- very well put together (the videos of course don't mean anything without the music, nor were they meant to.) But that last video for "Good Morning Kaia" -- wow.

I'd easily sum up this album with the word: magical.

quote:

Originally posted by Loignite Definitely -- and I can understand where they are coming from, because I enjoy simple entertainment as well. One of my favorite movies is 'Commando' -- while it's clearly not the best movie ever made, I gotta say, I love seeing Arnold just get so serious and own everyone (more or less) and I have to believe that they knew what they were making... I mean, just watching the intro of Commando lets you know you're watching the king of 80s B-Action movies. It's harder to come up with an example for music though ;-/ Somewhere, someone, while listening to this BT album, is thinking, "This sucks because it's not _________." Btw, I watched the DVD that came with this album... it was nice -- very well put together (the videos of course don't mean anything without the music, nor were they meant to.) But that last video for "Good Morning Kaia" -- wow. I'd easily sum up this album with the word: magical.

Yeah I like simple entertainment, but I also like artistic, beautiful, and thought provoking entertainment. I like things in which are evocative, like The Fountain, that are emotional and in a sense..magical. Something can be simple, and be this other stuff as well. Simple yet deep, deep yet simple...beautiful and yet complex. It's kind of a contradiction but simplicity can bring about something that could have profound meaning if you just open your mind up to the possibilities of it. I have this trouble (esp on here) with my views on music, esp melodic electronic music like trance, because I think it's simple and beautiful music, yet has a complexity and deepness (esp the progressive..melodic variety) that makes it both simple entertainment and artistic, beautiful and thought provoking as well. I just can't help but think that, because it is what draws me to it, not just because it's dance or electronic music, or The Fountain because it has good visual effects and decent acting. It goes beyond that to me. But that's just me, I don't speak for everyone. This all comes down from the way you look at it...people see things differently.

Ok, so I have finally gotten my hands on this album and I plan on listening to this tonight, when everything around me is silent and dark, and I'm lying in my bed.

After reading through this thread I'm trying really hard not to expect anything. I do know that - besides Trance - I listen to alot of Chill out/Ambient, so I hope that works in my favour.

Secondly: people like Spirit5 (I've talked to you before about what Trance music means for us) and SMC are right. There's more music which can fathom the word 'Trance'. Trance music isn't only about dance music with drums in the 138 BPM tempo and dynamic basslines with nice melodies. It's also about giving you a feeling that you are getting lost in the music and about making a journey in your mind. Trance tracks which do this for me are (for example) Hydra - Affinity and Solar Stone - Seven Cities, but also tracks like Talvin Singh - Disser Point/Mentoo B and Bob Holroyd - Earthwatching can do this for me, tracks which are more headed towards the Chill Out/Ambient direction.

Anyway, I'm gonna listen to this tonight and I will give my opinion tomorrow.

What I like most about these late posts of "Oh... I get it now" is that they prove my review correct. When I said that it might take several listens to "get" the record, it was a largely empirical assertion at the time.

I liked the album before, but to hear it in surround sound, as I did last night, is incredible. All of those times where the layers begin colliding into one another and the result is (in stereo) overwhelming/annoying, are something to marvel at in surround sound. Was the Monster soundtrack mastered in surround sound too?

yes, Monster was done in 5.1. After having experienced TBU for some time I decided to try out Monster. It really is a movie score as the title states, but that doesnt mean it is boring necessarily. There are a number of tracks I tend to skip through but there are some amazing songs on there, more songs on the dvd than the cd. Although I really feel BT utilized 5.1 better in TBU than Monster since TBU uses a lot more of an eclectic sound. But if you got a little money to burn, it is a fun listen but don't expect the prequel to TBU.

boy, did the trailer fool me.. i thoroughly enjoyed the trailer but the actual cd sucked!

i hated the visuals and the music sucked. i found the music slightly more interesting (but not much) when not watching the visuals.

this was the first electronic album i picked up in like 5 yrs and it was such a let down. i picked it up because of the 5.1 and bt always pushing technological advancements.. but god this cd sucked so bad. losing faith in dance/electronic....... somebody restore it pls...

quote:

Originally posted by eduardocorochio boy, did the trailer fool me.. i thoroughly enjoyed the trailer but the actual cd sucked! i hated the visuals and the music sucked. i found the music slightly more interesting (but not much) when not watching the visuals. this was the first electronic album i picked up in like 5 yrs and it was such a let down. i picked it up because of the 5.1 and bt always pushing technological advancements.. but god this cd sucked so bad. losing faith in dance/electronic....... somebody restore it pls...

I wouldnt go as far as too say it sucked, but it sure wasnt what i expected. Just got it yesterday... for me personally alot of the sounds are too repeated and the constant looping is rather unoriginal, also i found the songs sound rather "forced" they honestly didn't need to be around that 10 minute mark.

that being said, at times it was quite nice, but not much more then that from me.

Has anyone mentioned that all the instruments used were played by BT? That's sickness in my book, i read that his grandmother was a hypermusicial.

Well, not quite. The orchestral parts were played by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

hmm I could have sworn it says all the instruments were played by BT. Props to Sea-town if they were the orchestra used

Ok... I promised I'd give my opinion, so I shall.

I think BT has done a great job. I like the album very much. The way it's produced, the way it sounds. It's definately a hard album to listen to, but I can cope since I listen to alot of Chill Out music.

Each individual track was a strange, yet very amusing journey. I love how it all blends together, the sound FX, the soundscapes. The album sounds very futuristic to me, so I have to agree with the person in this thread who said that it feels like you're walking in a futuristic city, when you listen to the album. My favorite track has to be 'The Antikythera Mechanism.' It breathes so much atmosphere. Although some of the FX were a bit overly used in my opinion. I also think it's an album which needs you to grow into. You like it more and more the more you listen to it. I honestly have to say that I haven't got the full DVD, but I'm really looking into it to buy it sometime, because I want to experience the music together with the visual stuff as well.

I also thought that the fact that Brian has composed one track totally through C Music - I believe the first track - was really amazing. This guy is so talented. The whole album is such an amazing experience. I hope BT will continue to come up with this stuff, because after all this guy has been so important to EDM.

My 2 cents anyway.

Got this album today.

The album is a great winding down cd, but i do feel that alot of the glitched beats are forced and are put in there to make the track seem "Intelligent".

This album is awesome...

The music forces you into a state of emotions that you can't escape from. BT's style is so clean and at times seems mischeviously suttle as you wait for something massive to hit.

Has anyone listened to this in 5.1 yet????

I've listened to it in 5.1, and it really is a lot different than listening to it in stereo, even with my Triports. The experience with the 5.1 cd is almost overwhelming at times, perhaps even, the most engaging cd I have ever heard. Whereas in stereo I think its just a solid cd to chill-out to or even have in the background.

It is even better in DTS!

It's the album you will hear as you enter the stage of eternal life

BT is by far one of the most talented composers of our generation.

The guy is absolutely brilliant and (IMO) is one of the few artists that actually progress music (on par with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois during the mid/late-70s and early 80s).

The man evolves music, not just creates it.

Good for Brian!

Further... My brother has had a (brief) chance to work with him on film stuff and says that the guy is absolutely above and beyond anything he has ever seen.

quote:

Originally posted by rabbitjoker My brother has had a (brief) chance to work with him on film stuff and says that the guy is absolutely above and beyond anything he has ever seen.

Not to knock him, perhaps unfairly, but his film work on Binary Universe was extremely disappointing. I realize his budget was very tight, but the effort was very amateurish. I also realize he might not even be fully responsible for their product. Either way, the fact that he can say on the Divx interview that he was extremely happy with the product of the video came off as the reflections of an ego case.

The hype is well deserved the album is amazing, I really didn't give the album a proper concentrated listen the first few runs...but know that I have I understand the praise. My favourites are also constantley changning currentley it is "See you on the other side"...as for the opening number "All that makes us human continues" it's probally the best opening to an album I have ever heard.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.