BT, over his years of making brilliant electronic music, has amassed a devoted following. I am not one of those people, having discovered BT's music with this latest release. Some fans were disappointed that he (purportedly) changed his style on this album. Having not heard his previous material, I can't comment on that. But I say change can be good - and this album is GOOD!

On the local dance music radio station, I heard a very catchy tune and decided to search out the song. It turned out to be Somnambulist (meaning: one afflicted with somnambulism, a disorder dealing with motor functions while one is asleep), known better as "Simply Being Loved". Like any modern music fan, I downloaded the MP3. I dug it, and decided to buy the CD. (Hey, record labels, you hear that? I bought the CD despite downloading an MP3!)

I eventually tired of Somnambulist, having listened to it a hundred times, and decided that maybe it was time I listen to other tracks on this disc. To my joyous surprise, there are only a couple songs I would consider "clinkers" on this CD. It's very rare indeed to find a CD that you can listen to all the way through! BT's mastery of creating electronic music, not to mention his mastery of editing, shines through in this latest release. Ranging from hard-hitting dance beats (Knowledge of Self) to a driving pop-dance sound (Somnambulist), to a techno-rock (Circles), and finally a lush ballad (The Only Constant is Change), this album features soundscapes to keep the listener interested.

At the time of this writing, perhaps my favorite cut is the lush electronic pop-ballad, "The Only Constant is Change". Sure, you've heard these chord progressions before. The track's opening soundscape gives way to a picked acoustic guitar, with synth pads filling in behind it. BT's breathy, Bryan Adams-esque vocals enter, and then the rest of the instrumentation - bass and electric guitar - round out the tune. Okay, so this song isn't all that original. Is there something wrong with a song that's just pleasant to listen to?

Anyone who appreciates skillfully produced electronic music owes it to themselves to check this one out.

by Adam Tews