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Review: Jack Foley
THE Ninja Tunes label would appear to have struck gold again.
Luke Vibert, aka Wagon Christ, has delivered another of those
self-styled, ultra-cool mix albums that Ninja does best - something
to truly make you lush!
Wagon Christ is the only artist to have recorded full-length
albums with Rephlex, Warp and Mo'Wax, so it is little wonder he
now finds himself plying his trade at Ninja.
Hailing, originally, from Cornwall, Wagon Christ's music is slightly
more offbeat than, say, Bonobo, or DJ Shadow, but there is no
denying the quality of some of his tunes.
Each track on Sorry I Make You Lush comes jam-packed with
all manner of funky drums, beautiful kitschtronica and some well-observed
sub-bass, guaranteed to keep the listener on his or her toes.
And while it may lack the mainstream accessibility of some other
Ninja/mix artists, the album is well worth delving into for those
in search of something a little more challenging.
Think about some of the more humorous indulgences of Kid Koala
played out against the funky beats of David Holmes, and you might
get some idea of what to expect.
Not everything works, and some of the samples become a little
irksome when set against the music, but, most of the time, Vibert
gets the vibe down to a fine art.
Highlights of the long-player most definitely include the funk-tastic
closing track, Nighty Night, with its Motown bassline and
warped violins, that could quite easily sit on the soundtrack
of an Ocean's 11-style
movie,
And the C3PO led funk of The Funnies, which throws in
just about everything barring the kitchen towel - and still manages
to come out sounding clean and exciting.
The mournful organs of Shadows are neatly offset by some
sultry female vocals, and a chilled out beat, while the distinctly
alien-fixated synths of Sci-Fi Staircase are set neatly,
and oh-so tightly, against a really booty-shaking beat (think
Jean Michelle-Jarre given a truly funky makeover).
Sorry I Make You Lush is the sort of album that may require
a couple of listens to truly pay dividends, but it's well worth
sticking with, because the rewards get bigger each time you do
so.
On the strength of this, Wagon Christ can make us lush any time
he likes...
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Track listing:
1. Saddic Gladdic
2. I'm Singing
3. The Funnies
4. Shadows
5. Quadra Y Discos
6. UBFormby
7. Sci Fi Staircase
8. Sorry I Make You Lush
9. Kwikwidetrax
10. Nighty Night
11. Receiver (Video)
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