BT
ESCM
(Perfecto/Kinetic/Reprise)

"Solar Plexus"

From the moment you hear the booming earth spirit voice during ESCM's introductory moments, you begin to get the queasy feeling you're headed into hardcore Deep Forest territory without any rescue flares handy. BT's (aka Brian Transeau) quest to mine his oscillator for some spirituality may be noble, but by doing so this album fades quickly from a yawn to a snooze. By the time you're four tracks into the album -- with the faux New Order-ness of "Lullaby for Gaia" -- you realize BT leans way too far to the Vangelis side of the electronic spectrum. Later, when he pulls some Reznor-esque moves during "Solar Plexus," you know no one who dabbles in so much Windham Hill-ness could ever muster any real rage. Add the cover photos of the obelisk to the equation and there's not much hope for redemption, much less for spiritual regeneration.

Joe Silva

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