Wagon Christ Sorry I Make You Lush CD

Despite the fact that Wagon Christ-related releases started to pile up for various labels, Luke Vibert wasn't in danger of repeating himself -- his productions on Sorry I Make You Lush differ stylistically and thematically from any material he's issued under any other alias, while still being less a genre holiday than his previous YosepH for Warp. Still pushing his beats and basslines farther into funk and soul territory even while he pulls his effects from the realm of experimental electronics, Vibert may play the dance technician while producing his tracks, but he's become much more a natural trackmaster than in the past. "I'm Singing" may be his first vocal feature of all time, but regardless, it is a vocal track, and one that shows him integrating sung vocals into his hipster funk very well (a later track finds him sampling a female folksinger à la Jacqui McShee to good effect). But most of these instrumentals are devoid of samples, and don't need them to be effective; Vibert's interplay of beats and melodies is fascinating by itself. He's successful even when he is indulging in a little silliness; "The Funnies" incorporates sampled laughter along with a C3PO imitator apparently working as an airline steward. ~ John Bush