“…the first major electronic work of the new Millennium. It’s that good.”
– Stephen Fortner, Keyboard Magazine
By 2006, BT had consistently delivered groundbreaking electronic music, with each album pushing the boundaries of the genre. His earlier works, ‘Movement In Still Life’ and ‘Emotional Technology,’ had already diverged from his original sound. Yet, three years after ‘Emotional Technology,’ ‘This Binary Universe’ emerged, revolutionizing BT’s artistic journey much like Bob Dylan’s transition to electric music.
This album redefined perceptions of BT as an artist, transcending conventional expectations of electronic music. In December, BT revisits this eclectic masterpiece with a pristine remastering, a 4K upgrade of its accompanying film, and its inaugural vinyl release. Timeless and innovative, ‘This Binary Universe’ is set to captivate new audiences and inspire the next generation.
‘This Binary Universe’ was designed to defy every music industry norm. It lacked a commercially viable lead single—no ‘Flaming June’ or ‘Godspeed’—and featured only seven tracks, two of which exceed ten minutes.
During its creation, BT entered a creative frenzy, establishing a unique sound for ‘Binary’ that remains as perplexing today as it was in 2006. Several motifs weave through multiple tracks, showcasing BT’s pioneering Stutter Edit effect and incorporating orchestral elements. While composing the soundtrack for the film Monster, he developed the symphonic components for ‘Binary’ during breaks from working on the Stealth soundtrack, notably featuring a 110-piece orchestra on ‘The Antikythera Mechanism.’ The album showcases striking mid-track transitions in tone, tempo, and ambiance. ‘Dynamic Symmetry’ transitions beautifully from wind chime electronica to airy jazz, then adopts a drum & bass rhythm. ‘Good Morning Kaia’ starts with serene piano before gradually introducing rock elements.
In the early 2000s, artistic innovation was paramount, and BT sought to pave a new technological path. Over the album’s meticulously crafted 74 minutes, he customized synthesizers and children’s toys and created his own plug-ins, most notably Stutter Edit and Break Tweaker, to achieve intricate sounds. He applied mathematical principles to harmonies in ‘1.618,’ utilized the Csound programming language for ‘All That Makes Us Human Continues,’ and employed circuit bending techniques to create unique sound sequences across various tracks.
Furthermore, BT envisioned ‘This Binary Universe’ as his inaugural multimedia project, engineering the music for DTS’s 5.1 surround sound system. This vision materialized through seven vignettes, which had a limited theatrical release in 2006. Four were crafted by CG artist Scott Pagano, while Mondi, Dose Productions, and BT contributed one each. These vignettes spanned a range of cinematic styles, including live action, computer-generated imagery, and traditional animation. For ‘Good Morning Kaia,’ BT incorporated footage of his newborn daughter, with the track’s ‘lyrics’ appearing as subtitles synchronized with the piano melody. The 2024 re-release features each piece re-rendered in 4K, enhancing every frame and detail.
Delving into the interplay between organic and digital realms, with reflections on themes from parenting to programming, the remastered edition of BT’s ‘This Binary Universe’ will be available on December 6. The landscape of music is poised for transformation once more (… again): https://blackhole.lnk.to/tburemastered
Tracklist:
01. All That Makes Us Human Continues
02. Dynamic Symmetry
03. The Internal Locus
04. 1.618
05. See You On The Other Side
06. The Antikythera Mechanism
07. Good Morning Kaia
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