don't understand. In this review you say the last release is NOT a true DVD-A disc.
Poor writing on my part. I meant: like BT's last release, it is *not* a DVD-A. Still crappy writing, I know. Sorry...
Anyway, I rec'd
"This Binary Universe" today. I listened to about 3/4 of it and liked it quite a bit. Here are some observations:
1) The music is mind-boggling. It is ambient electronica, with some unbelievable slicing and dicing going on. Perhaps a bit much, but it is definitely something to hear. I don't believe more than 2 bars pass by without some ear-bending ear-candy.
2) I find it a bit harder to embrace than his score for
Monster, which is a masterpiece and should be a part of every music library. Here, it sometimes feels as if we're stuck in a computer, being bounced around like a pinball. Very cool, but I wonder how it will hold up to multiple listens.
3) It's LOUD. While BT plays with dynamic range - among other sonic devices - the louder sections are audibly limited. I would have backed off about 4-5db in the mastering.
4) No hi-res audio, ostensibly to make room for the video program. No surprise here, but it's still a DVD-9 filled to about 6-7 gigs.
5) I've seen about half of the video programs while listening. They're artistic and abstract, but they didn't leave much of an impression. Some of the concepts also didn't really match the music, IMHO; however, they are treated and edited to match the sonic barrage and play in sync. Video quality is very good: 16:9 anamorphic, and compression seemed tight and smooth - no artifacts visible during a casual view. And these images I'm sure were taxing to the compressionist: lots of constantly moving fine details.
6) The inclusion of a CD is a nice touch, and sounds great in the car (another LOUD mastering).
7) The mix is outstanding. BT thankfully doesn't keep things swirling 100% of the time. He carefully uses the 5.1 pallette to extend the scope of the compositions rather than just go for whiz-bang effects. It is without question one of the most immersive mixes I've heard in some time, with lots of low-end, crisp highs, and everything in between.
8) I couldn't FF or RW the tracks on my Onkyo universal player. Have to double check that.
9) I can't friggin navigate this thing without a monitor if I want to just play it. There are menus to navigate, and even the tracks seem to skip around so that track 2 isn't really track 2. I have to relook at that and see what they were trying to do.
10) Still think this is a very solid, very cool release. Folks that love BT's prior work, and also those of Tipper and other ambient electronica artists will dig
"This Binary Universe."
What BT offers - which is unique with this style of music - is his diverse musicianship. It is clearly evident (although moreso in the score for
Monster), that he is a true musician and not just a computer technician manipulating sounds. While he comes close to the edge here and nearly falls over into "tweaker"-land - in the musical sense
- this may very well be one of those releases that, in time and reflection, will be seen as a benchmark for the advancement of this style of music.
