Multi-talent and producer extraordinaire Brian Transeau, better known as BT, drops his brand new 2xCD album on Tiësto's Black Hole Recordings. These Hopeful Machines is the follow up of the still brilliant This Binary Universe (2006), and is again stunning evidence of BT's impressive, complex production techniques and songwriting skills.

BT's strength lies, among others, in using unorthodox methods to produce groundbreaking music. His productions are remarked by an impressive use of a technique he himself has dubbed nanosampling, i.e. cutting up sounds in snippets and glueing them back together. BT has far outgrown the label of trance artist, if ever he was one. These Hopeful Machines can therefore be called an album on which pop and dance come together. Much like Junkie XL recent productions, but completely different at the same time. due to BT's unique touch and self sung vocals. THM opens with Suddenly, a smashing break beat-based tune in which the unique sound of the producer is immediately recognizable. Roaring guitars, soaring synths, nifty breaks and BT's own vocals make up a fantastic song that sets the tone for its follow up, the magnificent The Emergency. Epic dance music at its very best. Although not a club tune per se, this killer will turn any floor upside down. Listen to it and you'll know what I mean. Every Other Way features much in demand singer JES (Motorcycle) and The Police drummer Steve Copeland on a laid-back rhythm structure, while The Light In Things is a more trance-orientated tune with a proggy vibe. BT fully uses his skills on The Rose Of Jericho, which features pretty much all of BT's signature production tricks. Closing track Forget Me sounds like an electronic version of 30 Seconds To Mars, and is simply a highly impressive tune with a massive combo of synths and drums.

The second disc is even more experimental. The CD opens with the proggy A Million Stars, which proves to be a subtle opener for the electronica meets highschool rock of Love Can Kill You and the breaky Always Running featuring Rob Dickinson on vox. Le Nocture de Lumiere sees BT going electro house, promptly delivering an ace cut with a few brilliant moments and a genius overall production. Fantastic tune, but The Unbreakable is possibly even better with its epic, sunshine-after-the-rain-sound that reminds a bit of Junkie XL. God damn beautiful. The closing track comes in the form of BT's first ever cover production: The Ghost In You by The Psychedelic Furs. BT turns the original into a laidback, acoustic tune with a transparent sound, dreamy vocals and a couple of well placed effects. Perfect proof of BT's versitality.

Get his album if you haven't already. These Hopeful Machines is pure gold to all clubbers who are not afraid to see their dance fused with rock and electronica. BT has managed to drop another breathtaking album on which he shows off his unique music production approach across 12 tracks. Apart from being a balanced, flawlessly produced and intriguing album, THM is also a release that holds the middle between dance and pop, while at the same time being an impressive mix of both. I'd be damned if this one doesn't finds it's way into 365Mag's 2010 album Top 5...

Track-list:

Disc 1
1. Suddenly
2. The Emergency
3. Every Other Way
4. The Light On Things
5. Rose of Jericho
6. Forget Me

Disc 2
1. A Million Stars
2. Love Can Kill You
3. Always
4. Le Nocture De Lumiere
5. The Unbreakable
6. The Ghost In You