{{distinguish|text=''Hopeful Machines'' the side project of Steven Archer of Ego Likeness}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = These Hopeful Machines | type = studio | artist = BT | cover = Thesehopeful.jpg | alt = | released = February 1, 2010 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Electronica, progressive breaks, progressive house, trance | length = 108:26 | label = Black Hole | producer = BT | prev_title = This Binary Universe | prev_year = 2006 | next_title = These Humble Machines | next_year = 2011 | misc = {{Singles | name = These Hopeful Machines | type = studio | single1 = The Rose of Jericho | single1date = June 9, 2009 | single2 = Every Other Way | single2date = December 22, 2009 | single3 = Suddenly | single3date = January 12, 2010 | single4 = Forget Me | single4date = June 14, 2010 | single5 = The Emergency | single5date = September 28, 2010 | single6 = Le Nocturne De Lumière | single6date = November 23, 2010 | single7 = Always | single7date = May 17, 2011 | single8 = A Million Stars | single8date = August 16, 2011 }} }} '''''These Hopeful Machines''''' is the sixth studio album by American electronic musician BT. Released on February 1, 2010,<ref name="release">{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/BT-These-Hopeful-Machines/release/2114367|title=BT - (CD, Album) at Discogs. |publisher=Discogs |access-date=29 September 2012}}</ref> the album sees collaborations with the likes of JES, Rob Dickinson, Christian Burns and Kirsty Hawkshaw, also featuring a cover of "The Ghost in You" by The Psychedelic Furs. Because some tracks exceed 10 minutes in length, the album spans two discs with six tracks on each. In an effort to make the album more accessible to casual listeners, the record was eventually re-issued as a single-disc version with shorter tracks, titled ''These Humble Machines''. In addition, the album would later spawn a double disc remix edition titled ''These Re-Imagined Machines'', also featured as a "Limited Collector's Edition Box Set".<ref name="Re-Imagined">[http://www.discogs.com/BT-These-Re-Imagined-Machines/master/341120 BT - These Re-Imagined Machines at Discogs].</ref> With great reception from critics, the album was nominated for the 2011 Grammy Awards under Best Electronic/Dance Album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/files/53rdpresslist113010.pdf|title=Final Nominations List|work=Grammy Award|publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences|access-date=1 December 2010}}</ref>
==Background== On June 9, 2009, the first part of the single "The Rose of Jericho" was released on Beatport, and the second (and last) part was released on June 23, 2009. Five remixes were released in all in these two parts along with BT's 'Deus Ex Machina Album Mix'.<ref>[http://www.bt-network.org/discography/C9/] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215133133/http://www.bt-network.org/discography/C9/ |date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref> The next single, "Every Other Way" was released on December 22, 2009. The third single of the album, "Suddenly", was the last to be released, on January 12, 2010, for digital-download only. Since the album release, the fourth and fifth singles, "Forget Me" and "The Emergency", were released on June 14, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.beatport.com/en-US/html/content/release/detail/253694/forget_me |title=Forget Me [Black Hole Recordings |publisher=Beatport |date= |access-date=2012-03-12}}</ref> and September 28, 2010, respectively. The album was mastered by Joe LaPorta.
BT chose to release the album online to digital retailers as two large tracks to preserve the feel of an album.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100131120332/http://www.dougvansant.com/blog/2010/01/bt-music-should-be-experience.html BT: Music Should Be An Experience] by Urban Marinade</ref> On release day, an MP3 exclusive version of ''These Hopeful Machines'' was offered by Amazon which included a bonus remix of "Always", by Chicane. This download was available as 2 full A/B side tracks instead of the 12 individual album tracks.<ref name="amazon">[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034JAX0G/ Amazon.com: These Hopeful Machines (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version): Bt: MP3 Downloads]</ref> The album was nominated for the 2011 Grammy Awards under "Best Electronic/Dance Album".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/files/53rdpresslist113010.pdf|title=Final Nominations List|work=Grammy Award|publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences|access-date=1 December 2010}}</ref>
==Reception==
{{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="AMG"/> | rev2 = ''Absolute Punk'' | rev2Score = 82%<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1897072 |title=BT - These Hopeless Machines - Album Review |publisher=AbsolutePunk.net |date=2010-02-02 |access-date=2012-03-12}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Sputnikmusic'' | rev3Score= {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/34829/BT-These-Hopeful-Machines/ |title=BT - These Hopeful Machines (staff review) |publisher=Sputnikmusic |date= |access-date=2012-03-12}}</ref> | rev4 = ''USA Today'' | rev4Score = {{rating|3.5|4}}<ref name="Elysa Gardner"/> | rev5 = ''Wired.com'' | rev5Score = 9/10<ref name="Curtis Silver"/> }} ''USA Today'': "...even techno-phobes will be seduced by (BT's) forward-thinking musicality."<ref name="Elysa Gardner">{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2010-02-02-listen02_ST_N.htm | work=USA Today | title=Listen Up: Lil Wayne's 'Rebirth' is no rock renaissance | first1=Steve | last1=Jones | first2=Jerry | last2=Shriver | first3=Elysa | last3=Gardner | first4=Brian | last4=Mansfield | date=2010-02-05 | access-date=2010-05-25}}</ref>
Allmusic: "''These Hopeful Machines'' doesn't try to convince, it's meant to reward the already converted with a vast wonderland of melodic glitch and prolonged bliss."<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|first=David |last=Jeffries |title=Review: ''These Hopeful Machines'' |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1709372|pure_url=yes}} |publisher=Allmusic |access-date=4 February 2010}}</ref>
''Wired'': "If you've never liked electronica before, this is the release that could change your mind."<ref name="Curtis Silver">{{cite news |first=Curtis |last=Silver |title=BT Talks These Hopeful Machines, Math and Inspiration |url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/02/bt-these-hopeful-machines/ |publisher=Wired.com |access-date=3 February 2010 |date=February 2, 2010}}</ref>
Sinning in LA: "Both discs offer compelling rides from start to finish."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sinninginla.com/articles/these-hopeful-machines-bt-back-and-better-ever-new-album |title=These Hopeful Machines: BT Is Back And Better Than Ever On New Album |publisher=Sinning in LA |date=2010-04-30 |access-date=2010-11-13}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{track listing | headline = Disc one ("Side A") | total_length = 55:07 | title1 = Suddenly | writer1 = BT, Christian Burns | length1 = 8:06 | title2 = The Emergency | writer2 = BT, Andrew Bayer | length2 = 10:38 | title3 = Every Other Way | writer3 = BT, JES | length3 = 11:23 | title4 = The Light in Things | writer4 = BT, JES | length4 = 10:47 | title5 = The Rose of Jericho | writer5 = BT | length5 = 7:43 | title6 = Forget Me | writer6 = BT, Christian Burns | length6 = 9:33 }} {{track listing | headline = Disc two ("Side B") | total_length = 53:19 | title1 = A Million Stars | writer1 = BT, Kirsty Hawkshaw, Ulrich Schnauss | length1 = 12:26 | title2 = Love Can Kill You | writer2 = BT | length2 = 5:21 | title3 = Always | writer3 = BT, Rob Dickinson | length3 = 6:12 | title4 = Le Nocturne de Lumière | writer4 = BT | length4 = 11:38 | title5 = The Unbreakable | writer5 = BT, Rob Dickinson | length5 = 10:25 | title6 = The Ghost in You | writer6 = The Psychedelic Furs | length6 = 7:57 }}
{{Track listing | headline = Japan edition bonus tracks<ref name="Japan"/>
| title7 = The Rose of Jericho | note7 = Sultan & Ned Shepard Remix | length7 = 10:19 | title8 = Every Other Way | note8 = Armin van Buuren Remix | length8 = 8:14 | total_length = 75:40 }}
{{track listing | headline = Amazon MP3 Exclusive<ref name="amazon"/> | title1 = Always | note1 = Chicane Remix | length1 = 8:19 }}
==Personnel== ;Disc one * Track 1: Vocals by BT and Christian Burns. * Track 2: Vocals by BT. Background vocals by Christian Burns. Additional production by Andrew Bayer. * Track 3: Vocals by JES. Background vocals by BT and Christian Burns. * Track 4: Vocals by JES. * Track 6: Vocals by BT and Christian Burns. End chorus sung by Kaia Transeau.
;Disc two * Track 1: Vocals by Kirsty Hawkshaw. Background vocals by BT. Additional production by Ulrich Schnauss. * Track 2: Vocals by BT. Background vocals by Christian Burns. * Track 3, 5: Vocals by Rob Dickinson. * Track 6: Vocals by BT. Background vocals by Amelia June.
==Release history== {|class="wikitable" |- !Country !Date !Label !Catalogue |- |United States<ref name="amazoncd">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030IXWH2|title=Amazon.com: These Hopeful Machines: Bt: Music|website=Amazon |access-date=21 March 2010}}</ref> |rowspan="4"|February 2, 2010 |rowspan="2"|Nettwerk |rowspan="2"|0 6700 30849 2 5 |- |Canada<ref name="amazoncd"/> |- |Australia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.405recordings.net/news.php?newsID=35|title=405 Recordings News: BT - These Hopeful Machines|publisher=405 Recordings|access-date=29 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723000331/http://www.405recordings.net/news.php?newsID=35|archive-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> |405 Recordings |45CD10007 |- |Netherlands<ref>{{cite web|url=http://files.blackholerecordings.com/public/players/blackholecd61/blackhole61.html|title=Black Hole CD 61 BT - These Hopeful Machines|publisher=Black Hole Recordings|access-date=21 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316211011/http://files.blackholerecordings.com/public/players/blackholecd61/blackhole61.html|archive-date=16 March 2010}}</ref> |Black Hole Recordings |Black Hole CD 61 |- | |March 22, 2010 |New State Recordings |NEWCD9070 |- |Japan<ref name="Japan">{{cite news|url=https://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/-/Discography/A018811/VICP-64830.html|title=BT – These Hopeful Machines – by Victor Entertainment|date=7 July 2010|publisher=JVC Music|language=ja|access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref> |July 7, 2010 |Victor Entertainment | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs release|id=2114367}}
{{BT (musician)}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2010 albums Category:BT (musician) albums Category:Black Hole Recordings albums