LTJ Bukem Presents
Planet Earth (DTS DVD/CD Set)
DTS 6.1 Discrete: B+
PCM 2.0 Stereo: B Extras:
C Music: B
It has been a few years since DTS Entertainment stopped
making DTS-only CDs and created an exceptionally interesting and performing line
of titles form their own label in the DVD-Audio format. Now, they are back to trying out DTS-only
music DVDs for the first time and Planet Earth adds a DTS CD so one can
try all kinds of playback of the material.
LTJ Bukem may be familiar to non-Electronica and non-Club
fans as a name associated with the James Bond films. He has been involved in some interesting retro projects involving
famous music from the films. In the
meantime, he has been very consistent in his field and this set is a compilation
of some of Europe’s hottest acts. The
tracks offered include:
1) Makoto -
Extensions Of Life
2) K-Scope
– Black Widow
3) Makoto
featuring Lori Fine – You’re Divine
4) LTJ
Bukem – Unconditional Love (Quintet Plays Reconditioned Love Remix)
5) K-Scope
– The Setup
6) Phluff –
Trailin’
7) Worlds 2
Be Heard: Substance featuring Mark Holmes – Stranded
8) Dr.
Jazz’s Universal remedy – Love Is
9) PHD
& The Funky Technicians – Above & Beyond
10) K-Scope – Outer Mind
11) LTJ Bukem – Suspended Space
This is an enjoyable exercise in the genre, with diverse
enough talent and is a good album no matter what sound or disc format you play
it back in. This is a compilation of
tracks from various installments of the Earth series and the first time
DTS has ever put together such a collection.
Usually, everything has been a studio album or a live effort, but this
could be considered a “greatest hits” collection of some sort. I thought this was better than the usual
music we get from Electronica and DJs, and the recording quality was better
than usual to boot.
The sound on the CD is DTS-ES 6.1 discrete, only available
as an option at 48kHz/24Bits, as DTS 96/24 does not allow for a discrete back
surround. It is not known as to whether
uncompressed DTS HD will, but it should when that format arrives. In the meantime, the mixes are solid and
some will find them fun; a real audio treat.
The DVD has the same, but adds PCM CD-type 48kHz/24Bits 2.0 Stereo for
playback compatibility in all DVD players.
The DTS is preferred, but the PCM is also better than usual. The only thing we should note is that the
back of the package says “5.1 DVD” for an audio spec as if to suggest this disc
has MLP sound. It does not and that
should have been made clearer on the packaging. The disc is labeled “DVD-Video” in fine print, though many will
think it is a full-fledged DVD-Audio.
That’s too bad, because MLP would have been nice, even if it cannot do
6.1 discrete sound. Either way, the
music is so good that you will not be disappointed.
The DVD has extras, which include text bios of all the
artists, a nice multi-channel breakdown of one of You’re Divine, a list
of three weblinks, and a stills section of the various Earth
titles. We recommend Planet Earth
and believe it may get some people to hunt down the previous albums in the
series. For the rest, this will be most
satisfactory.
- Nicholas Sheffo
