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.

Last edited by Spirit5 on Dec-10-2006 at 05:15

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.

Last edited by Spirit5 on Dec-10-2006 at 05:29

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.

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- Huge Choons ATM/Gone But Not Forgotten -

Orbital - The Girl With The Sun In Her Head
Jam & Spoon - Stella
Chicane - The Drive Home

- Next Party Stops -

Trance Energy 15th Edition, Jaarbeurs Utrecht, February 23rd.

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.

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Mixes:
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24
> Surface Tension [Progressive Trance]
> Back To Deep [Deep Trippy House]
> Terra Nova [Modern Progressive Trance]

If you enjoy any of these sets and want to hear me live, I'll be playing a 2 hour progressive trance set at Basing House in Shoreditch, London on 11th October.
I'm also a resident at our bi-monthly party Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

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?

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Lost Souls

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.

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"For the love of God. Can you say insert woman?!" - Axwell