A mix of techno, electronica, new age sounds, ambient tones, nature noises, bizarre vocals ... oh, and a piano.

That's what you'll find on almost every track of BT's 1996 debut album, Ima.

While categorizing BT might be difficult, enjoying him certainly is not.

There's something to like for everyone on this dual-disc set.

BT, whose actual name is Brian Transeau, was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and began playing the piano at two years old. With influences ranging from Depeche Mode to Yes, BT made his start by doing backup synthesizer music for Salt-N-Pepa and was finally releasing solo singles by 1993. His music struck gold in England's nightclubs and he was signed to Paul Oakenfold's Perfecto label where he released Ima.

Unfortunately, the American BT has never found the same success in his homeland.

Track one on Ima, "Nocturnal Transmission" starts off subtle but sweet.

A quiet mix of various electronic and natural instruments builds for a few minutes before pouncing into a fast and uplifting techno beat covered with chant-like vocals and continual crescendos, constantly feeling like the climactic moments in a great action movie's score.

One track flows into the next and soon one reaches the album's best track, "Embracing the Sunshine."

This perfect blend of techno beats and ambient keyboards creates a fantastic melody to listen to while working out or while at the beach -- essentially anything active and outdoors. BT even manages to give cricket and dolphin noises musical merit.

To list all the tracks and their values would be almost impossible because each song really flows seamlessly into one another, creating an hour-long musical journey of truly trance-like proportions.

The second disc is pretty much full of re-mixed versions of the songs found on the first disc, but includes a couple new tracks, including a techno mix of Tori Amos.

For those interested in a slightly more commercial sound, BT's more recent success has led him to collaborate with some big names in the music industry.

He has helped produce tunes for Britney Spears and 'NSYNC, and has re-mixed songs by Seal and Sara McLachlan.

For a freshmen effort, Ima is nothing short of brilliant and fresh, especially for its time.

As the electronica genre continues to expand into the mainstream, musicians like BT will be at the front of the line, paving the way.