To me, Movement in Still Life's cover suggests naff contents. The reclining BT shows off frosted hair and a thick growth of stubble. He seems to be saying "Sleep with me, beautiful women, for I have crafted this fine electronic album." Since the album has been getting commercial radio attention -- something I didn't know when I initially wrote this review -- BT might even score.
The thing is, however, that as electronic music goes, Movement in Still Life really is a decent effort, a deft mixture of styles that'll keep your speakers happy for hours. Beginning from the unfortunately-named "Mad Skillz - Mic Chekka", BT dishes up a little of everything. Said track hammers out the breakbeats, enhanced with heavily distorted rapping and ranking that includes much talk of the titular abilities. Yes, the title is pretty stupid, but the song cooks. Likewise "Never Gonna Come Back Down," a capable stab at Underworld territory that features Soul Coughing's M. Doughty on the vocal tip -- this is the song "breaking" on radio. "Dreaming" is another rote song title, and its technofield throb and breathy vocals could pass for an Everything But the Girl track.
In a jarring change of pace, "Shame" attempts to filter Oasis' sprawling Beatles knockoff through a Depeche Mode aesthetic (to the point of employing Alan Moulder at the mixing desk). It's radio friendly, and BT proves himself as a vocalist, but it's not terribly interesting.
The album's two standouts are its title track, which incorporates a Grandmaster Flash sample and help from Peanut Butter Wolf on turntables, and the hit single "Godspeed". The latter ventures into Robert Miles territory, providing a gently melodic workout in quintessential Euro/techno/disco style, and should satisfy the basic requirements of just about any club's dance floor. "Smartbomb", an explosion of technofied funk and rap, rates an honorable mention for its incendiary refrain. Sampling the early-eighties arcade game "Bosconian" gains BT a nod, too.
It's pleasing to see BT covering so many bases on a single album -- especially his throwbacks to fondly-yet-barely-remembered mid-nineties acts like One Dove. His incorporation of rap vocals is also appreciated -- one tires of diva after diva. But as a jack of all trades, BT is a master of none; every stylistic move on Movement in Still Life has been done slightly better by another artist willing to fill a more specific niche. It's still a surprisingly enjoyable album (albeit one with a few jarring surprises), but you may feel as if you're listening to a carefully-compiled collection rather than a single artist's work. Don't forget, though, that BT's music is intended as much for the body as the ears, so when it comes time to pass judgment on Movement in Still Life, you may find your body to be surprisingly generous with its praiseful gyrations.
