A New Kind of Technology

Musical prodigies appear in the atmosphere only rarely. Brian Transeau (otherwise known as BT) is one of these beings, and not only is his music interesting, but his life experiences are also just as eye-opening and, in certain cases, shocking. Prior to the completion of his latest album, Emotional Technology, BT's studio was robbed, and collaborations that the electronic producer and rock'n'roller had made with such artists as the Roots and Sarah McLachlan disappeared in an instant. While his fans mourned, Transeau picked himself up, dusted himself off, and moved on quickly. For a man constantly bursting with ideas, the total erasure of months and months of work was a mere hurdle that he eventually jumped with ease.

Transeau has a penchant for documenting his revelatory and sometimes spiritual ideas in song, and Emotional Technology represents this phenomenon much more than his past albums. He began releasing in the early '90s with an all-dance album, Ima, which placed him squarely in the American trance scene--essentially, he was the American trance scene for a time. With ESCM, his second release, Transeau experimented with more rock-oriented songs tinged with his own vocals, yet was still entrenched in epic house. Some consider ESCM to be his most moving album to date, but the release of Movement In Still Life was just as definitive in separating BT from the trance label that had been stuck on him since the beginning of his career. Songs like "Never Gonna Come Back Down," "Shame," "Running Down The Way Up," and "Satellite" displayed Transeau's love for structured pop-rock songs that were illuminated with electronics. He showed that he had more rock in him than Orbital or Death In Vegas, and his slick talents in working with these genres gave him a proper reputation of being both a balanced and a risk-taking producer and artist.

Emotional Technology displays a skilled rock and electronic balance, one that producers have been seeking for years. The album is structured in three parts and, not surprisingly, in terms of emotion as well as genre. Songs like "Knowledge Of Self," "Superfabulous" (a collaboration with Rose McGowan), and the current single, "Somnambulist," give the record a poppy, uplifting introduction. "Force Of Gravity," with vocals by JC Chasez of *NSYNC (get over it) serves as a bridge between the rave vibe of the first third of the album, and the down-tempo middle section: "Gravity" is already destined to become a club hit, highlighted with sweeping vocals and a good dose of breakbeats. A choir serves as the anchor to the reflective track, "Dark Heart Dawning," and "Circles" is reminiscent of Movement's "Shame," what with depressing lyrics, heavy vocals, and pure pop-rock structure. Finally, songs like "Communicate," with vocals by Jan Johnston, a frequent BT collaborator, and "Animals" bring BT back to a hopeful and optimistic point of view. Unconditional love is an ever-present idea in "Animals": "Colors around are bled of love / We're hopeful animals / Kiss me now so we can feel alive."

From happiness to depression to optimism, BT and his Emotional Technology run the gamut of ideas and impulses, and indeed, the structure of the album reflects on the events that affected BT's life so heavily. Despite the drama of reality, BT managed to come through and make one of the finest electronic rock albums that has ever been created.