Oh Luke Vibert!! Anytime this Cornwall native comes out with anything from one of his monikers, it's an instant must listen for me. He records under his given name, Plug, and Wagon Christ, which has been described as ambient and experimental hip hop, but I tend to think there are funk undertones as well. Plug has been devoted to drum and bass and jungle, and the albums under his own name blend post-techno electronica with dub and minimalist techno.
Toomorrow won't be full of many surprises for seasoned fans of Wagon Christ, yet it's not entirely the same ol'stuff either. Clearly he has a penchant for a particular make of synthesizer and drumming presets and similar rhythms that one may have heard on his prior work, but that is more about style than lack of imagination. What I always enjoy are his entertaining song titles such as "Manalyze This!", "Ain't He Heavy, He's My Brother", "Sentimental Hardcore", and "Lazer Dick." "My Lonely Scene" could be a commentary on how he might be a genre of one compared to what other electronic acts are up to currently, as no one really sounds like him anymore and perhaps he is struggling to stay relevant or he just doesn't care about that anymore and accepts his position in the annals of electronic music. He surprised me with some of the slower numbers on this album, yet the song sequences seem to alternate between mellow ambiance, funk, and quirky glitchy numbers. This kind of A,B,C formula reminds of Crystal Castles (II) with its alternating beautiful numbers against more abrasive structures. As one delves past the 7th or 8th track, the album starts to become somewhat predictable. Despite this, I strongly feel it is still worth a listen and definitely a purchase for a collector of late 90's electronica or for those who do not have any Vibert in their collection.
Listen to Accordian McShane here.
Get your own copy of Wagon Christ's Toomorrow here.
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