LTJ Bukem Presents Planet Earth – CD + DVD with DTS

by | Jun 1, 2005 | CD+DVD | 0 comments

LTJ Bukem Presents Planet Earth; dts Entertainment 1127 CD + DVD with DTS 6.1 ES ***1/2: 

LTJ Bukem has been a highly influential figure in dance music over the
last decade.  He had released a series of eight mix albums called
Earth that contained a mixture of acid jazz, dance, hip hop, and
soul.  Jazzy ambient sounds and drum ‘n’ bass are Bukem signature
tools and are present aplenty on this disc.  The record is a
collection of new mixes of the best tracks from the Earth series and
feature artists like Makoto, Lori Fine, K-Scope, Phluff, Words 2 Be
Heard, Dr. Jazz’s Universal Remedy, and PHD & The Funky
Technicians.  The CD sounds very spatially flat in terms of depth
although there are occasional out-of-phase effects that bring the sound
out into the room and around the listener.  On the DVD there is no
DD track, so it’s either DTS surround or the 2.0 channel PCM data which
can be used to try and simulate surround.  (I thought that every
DVD had to have some sort of Dolby Digital track?)  These days,
just about every piece of surround equipment offers DTS playback, so it
should not be a problem.  DTS 6.1 ES is supported although I was
only able to audition the disc in a 5.1 system.  Surround sound is
really the ONLY way to hear this disc.  The surrounds are in use
virtually all the time with different information coming from every
channel.  The first track is light electronica with a jazz fusion
flavor.  “Black Widow” sounds very ominous and dangerous—it’s easy
to imagine a spider about to strike.  Some of the music is a
little harder and sounds like house bordering on industrial. 
Tracks three and seven feature vocals throughout while other cuts may
have brief spoken elements, but are otherwise instrumentals.

Sound quality is superb and rates equal to or slightly better than the
best CDs.  As extras the DVD offers a bonus track, a “mix
breakdown” of “You’re Divine,” and on-screen biographies.  As
collections go this one is very satisfying.  Even for listeners
who would not normally find themselves listening to this type of music
will find something of interest.  Songs included are:  Makoto
– Extensions of Life; K-Scope – Black Widow; Mokoto Featuring Lori Fine
– You’re Divine; LTJ Bukem – Unconditional Love (Quintet Plays
Reconditioned Love Remix); K-Scope – The Setup; Phluff- Trailin’; Words
2 Be Heard: Substance Featuring Mark Holmes – Stranded; Dr. Jazz’s
Universal Remedy – Love Is; PHD & The Funky Technicians – Above
& Beyond; K-Scope – Outer Mind; LTJ Bukem – Suspended Space; Makoto
– Extensions of Life (LA Remix) on DVD only.

-Brian Bloom
 

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