Brian Transeau aka BT returns with a new album… Right now, there’s no right or wrong way to articulate the title of _. It’s open to interpretation. Yours to reference, entirely as you will. When the future comes, consensus shall decide. Right now, all open source.Filmic, thematic, dramatic? You’d expect nothing less from this release. Asymmetric, anti-algorhythmic and, by design, hard to predict? Likewise, without a doubt. With a trace of Future Sound of London and an evident edge of John Cage, it’s assembled, classically, into 6 tracks, bridged by 3 Movements. It’s also a musical composition in the truest sense of the expression.
Linking the album’s tracks are its “Artifacture”, “Indivism” & “Ω” Movements; BT’s modernist take on the classical composition structure. Sonically, each is a minor work of art in itself. Collectively however they make up a 25 section sequence of (as BT defines them) “inter-compositional-themes”, creating 45 minutes of constantly flowing, ever-developing tonality. Every section/Movement – some as short as a minute – is represented by an Italian language subtitle. “Artifracture”’s middle section bridge for example is made up of “La Vita Sotto il Mare” and “Niente di Tutto Qualcosa” (or “Life Under the Sea” and “Nothing, Everything, Something”). Using wordplay, metaphor and nuance, when translated, each one subtly relates to what’s occurring musically within the composition.
BT’s album is, as ever, impelled as much by advancements in technology & technique, as it is mood, emotion & inclination. Alongside its more discernible breakthroughs, are far less perceptible and more complex ones. Deep within its cortex, innovative techniques and (per BT) “insane” amounts of new sound design modalities come in to play – all atomically micro-crafting its extraordinary universe.
Location, itself, plays a substantial part in the culture of the album too. It was recorded in places as close (relatively) as Maine & Maryland and as far apart as Iceland, China, Poland, Bora Bora and Australia. The composition of “Artifracture” alone, took place in studios located in countries on all 7 continents. The title’s connotations are occasionally as apparent as “Found In Translation” and “Tokyo” (both recorded primarily in Japan). More often though their associations are more suggestive and undertone-like in nature – there for the listener to absorb after looped plays. Likely you’ll be Googling “The Code Of Hammurabi” before so very long. This is an album that works on two significantly different levels. The first, as a dazzlingly, thrilling end-to-end sound-array / feat of technological accomplishment. The other, as a multimedia enigma – an armchair Easter egg hunt, or sonic crossword, where each listen brings new levels of interpretation, enjoyment and appreciation. Whichever way you choose to absorb it, one thing’s for certain: BT – that arch guardian of the avant-garde, has delivered again.
BT’s new album “_” is out on the October 14th 2016!
Get your copy here:
https://bt.choons.at/_
Tracklist:
1. BT – Artifacture: I. Adagietto Granulare
2. BT – Artifacture: II. Nostra Luna di Miele
3. BT – Artifacture: III. Guidati dalla Luce
4. BT – Artifacture: IV. La Caduta con Moto
5. BT – Artifacture: V. La Vita Sotto il Mare
6. BT – Artifacture: VI. Niente di Tutto Qualcosa
7. BT – Artifacture: VII. Rocambolesco in una Città di Notte
8. BT – Artifacture: VIII. Un Nuovo Contesto
9. BT – Artifacture: IX. Mancando Nobilmente
10. BT – Indivisim: I. Trasformata di Fourier Veloce
11. BT – Indivisim: II. Fette di Basso Ostinato
12. BT – Indivisim: III. Decomposizione di Tempo
13. BT – Indivisim: IV. Uno ad Uno i Controcanti Parlano
14. BT – Indivisim: V. Immobilità in Movimento
15. BT – Indivisim: VI. Variante di Frammenti di Basso
16. BT – Indivisim: VII. Dalla Forma al Senza Forma
17. BT – Ω: I. La Nascita di Diventare
18. BT – Ω: II. Evoluzione di Nuove Forme
19. BT – Ω: III. Da metà tempo a Tempo Pieno
20. BT – Ω: IV. Melodie che si Ergono Come Onde
21. BT – Ω: V. il Tema Soarning
22. BT – Ω: VI. Staccando gli Strati
23. BT – Ω: VII. Filatura Funzioni di Trasferimento Relative a Testa
24. BT – Ω: VIII. il Movimento Invertito
25. BT – Ω: IX. Meriggiare una Matrice di Musica Modulare
BT – _
