Classically-trained multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Brian "BT" Transeau is full of surprises. Though born and bred in Washington, D.C., his greatest success as an artist thus far has come in the U.K. A master of modern studio technology, he prefers to imbue his work with the kind of soul and spirit rarely heard in any genre of electronic music. He is an avid fan of both Depeche Mode and Yes. In these seeming inconsistencies, however, lies the heart of BT's musical vision, which is perfectly captured on his debut album Ima.   Naturally-gifted, Transeau began playing piano at age 2 and studying string arrangement and orchestration at 13. While in his early teens, BT also developed a fascination with electronic music, studying the sounds and beats generated by bands like Depeche Mode and their long-time producer Flood, as carefully as the work of the masters. This merging of interests in classicism and dance pop would soon prove to be the foundation of Transeau's own unique approach to music.   Transeau's musical proficiency did not go unnoticed. After high school, he was offered a scholarship to the Berkley School of Music in Boston, and in typical rock and roll fashion, he dropped out after a year and moved to LA. Just as typically, nothing much went right for him there. One thing that did go right, however briefly, was a friendship with Ali "Dubfire" Shirazinia -- whom Transeau had known since childhood -- and Sharem Tayebi, founders of Deep Dish. Together, the trio created lush grooves -- several of which were included on the definitive Penetrate Deeper compilation -- which quickly began to make waves on U.S. and U.K. dancefloors.   BT then moved on to pursue his own muse which resulted in "Embracing The Future," an experimental trance manifesto that connected immediately with the UK club zeitgeist. Considering Transeau had never been to Britain, interest among English DJs, particularly Sasha and Guy Oldhams, in his music was shocking, to say the least. Recognizing the ease with which BT was able to fuse disparate elements of pop music, from soul to progressive rock to classical, into a smooth, shimmering near-Zen musical experience, the U.K. dance community found an artist who could point British club culture in a new direction.   His exploding popularity in the press and on the dance floor made successes of subsequent singles "Loving You More" and "Deeper Sunshine" while his remixes for people like Seal, Mike Oldfield and Grace became highly sought after in DJ booths and record stores throughout England. When the U.K. verson of Ima, containing all the singles and some new tracks, was released last year, Transeau was almost universally praised for his genius and was named 'Lord Of Trance' and 'Artist Of The Year' by more than a few journalists. As his fame in the U.K. grew, the buzz began to travel back to America and BT was given his first proper introduction to the U.S. music scene through "Talula," a collaboration with Tori Amos that was included on the Twister soundtrack.     With the revival of interest in electronic music after nearly five years of grunge-inspired guitar pop, the time is right for BT. Eagerly anticipated by the U.S. dance community and alternative music fans alike, the U.S. release of Ima -- complete with a four-track bonus disc featuring "Blue Skies," a new collaboration with Amos -- brings Transeau full circle. Returning home triumphant, he is setting his sights on new musical worlds to conquer.