Artist: BT
Title: R&R (Rare And Remixed)
Label: Nettwerk Productions
By: Simon Jones | 15 November 2001
Tracklist:

• Disk 1
• Disk 2

1. BT - Remember (ESCM 12" Mix)
2. Paul van Dyk - Forbidden Fruit (BT & PvD's Food Of Love Mix)
3. Dharma - Transway
4. BT - Shame (Way Out West Mix)
5. Grace - Not Over Yet (BT's Spirit Of Grace)
6. Mike Oldfield - Let There Be Light (BT Mix)
7. Libra Presents Taylor - Anomaly (Calling Your Name)
8. Seal - I'm Alive (BT & Sasha Mix)
9. Sasha & BT - Heart of Imagination
10. Prana - The Dream
11. Cassa de X - Plastic Reality

1. BT Feat Jan Johnston - Sunblind
2. BT - Smartbomb (Plump DJs Mix)
3. BT - Fibonacci Sequence
4. Tsunami One & BT - The Hip Hop Phenomenon
5. BT - Godspeed (Hybrid Mix)
6. BT - Dreaming (Science Dept Mix)
7. BT Feat Tori Amos - Blue Skies
8. BT - Never Gonna Come Back Down (Timo Maas Mix)
9. Dina Carroll - Run To You (BT Vs PVD Mix)
10. Sarah Mclachlan - I Love You (BT Mix)
11. BT - Flaming June

BT "R&R (Rare And Remixed)"

Brian Transeau, better known as BT has always been in the centre of the dance music scene for pretty the whole of the past 7 years. Over the years he has moved on from the epic house sound he so famously championed into a more experimental direction, incorporating elements of nu skool breaks and hip hop into his sound. This progression formed the basis of the albums ESCM and Movement In Still Life. Whilst we wait for his anticipated 4th long player, Nettwerk have issued this collection of tracks, a retrospective of tracks selected by BT fans themselves, subtly mixed together by the master of pro tools and CDJs, Andy 'Amoeba Assassin' Gray, a long standing producer in the music scene, close friend of Brian's and technological wizard.

From the rare (Sunblind and the Way Out West mix of Shame) to the classic (Flaming June and Heart Of Imagination) to the popular (BT's Spirit Of Grace remix of Grace's Not Over Yet), this album serves as both a retrospective mix to diehard fans, but also a good starting point for those who have only become accustomed to BT's name due to his film score work on such films as Under Suspicion and The Fast and The Furious, or his production for Nsync and Britney Spears.

CD1 starts with the superb Remember, featuring the vocal talents of one of Brian's main vocal collaborators, the superb Jan Johnston, moving into the classic BT and Paul Van Dyk remix of Forbidden Fruit, a track that people regard as one of Paul Van Dyk's finest. Other highlights include Bristol's Nick Warren and Jody Wisternoff, collectively known as Way Out West, presenting their own unique take on one of BT's own vocal tracks, Shame. In addition, the superb Calling Your Name by Libra and the legendary Heart Of Imagination from the peak of the epic house era, courtesy of Sasha and BT. Slot in amongst these several productions under other aliases, and in 70 minutes you've covered pretty much the first half of the last 7 years.

CD2 takes us more into the present, starting with the rare Jan Johnston collaboration, Sunblind, and enlisting some of the present day's finer singers and producers, such as the Plump DJs who deliver their own breakneck remix of BT's Smartbomb. BT heads off to dark breaks territory with Fibonacci Sequence and then Tsunami One teachs BT all about fucked up nu skool breaks on Hip Hop Phenomenon. The boys from the welsh valleys, Hybrid strip apart Godspeed, adding their own unique production in amongst the frantic synths. Danny Howells and Dick Trevor then tangle with Kirsty Hawkshaw's vocals on the Science Department remix of BT - Dreaming, whilst Timo Maas gets wet and hard on the nu skool breaks hip hop rollercoaster that is Never Gonna Come Back Down. Wrapping up the CD, one of BT's favourite singers, Sarah Mclachlan softly sings I Love You, whilst the timeless Flaming June ends a two hour trip down memory lane.

Whilst the hardcore fans may complain that the album could have featured a lot of his unreleased productions (and he has a lot of them), the fact the album is more of a retrospective does not detract from its importance one bit. Whether you're a fan wanting to bring back all those lost moments in time, or just someone who wants to find out 'what this BT character is all about' then theres no better place than to start here.