BT’s ‘Still Life’ Just Might Pave His Leap to Stardom

The cover photo of the blond, buff BT is the tip-off. Brian Transeau (his full name) wasn’t pictured on his earlier albums, befitting his leadership in an American techno-dance world that eschews celebrity moves and leaves the music to make the image.

But with Moby having made his break to pop renown, BT--who’s bordered on the pop world with a range running from house music to almost new-age instrumentals--seems determined to make that jump as well. And “Movement in Still Life” could well do the trick.

It’s not as affecting or distinctive as Moby’s “Play,” but it is an accomplished deli platter of styles that takes the keyboardist-composer-singer into new territories. The opening “Madskillz-Mic Chekka” is a grabber with its scratching by DJ Davey Dave and several guest rappers. And “Never Gonna Come Back Down” sounds like an alternative-rocktronica hit with evocative lyrics and vocals by Soul Coughing’s Michael Doughty. Later, with “Smartbomb,” BT goes for Chemical Brothers-style breakbeat.

The album’s core, though, is the several house thumpers, with soaring female vocals by Kirsty Hawkshaw and Jan Johnston--a style more familiar to BT fans. And at times the genre-jumping seems too calculated, even when it’s irresistible. BT may have his picture on the front, but inside his artistic identity sometimes gets blurred.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.