IDM Mailing Archive

Been hearing a lot about Mr Vibert recently, but hadn't really heard about him before. How is the Wagon Christ album on Rising High? --Jeff

After having seen him namechecked often enough, I'm curious about Wagon Christ. A few local stores have copies of the 'Phat Lab Nightmare' CD on Rising High - I checked the archives and it seems several people have asked about this release without much response. Anybody have any opinions on it? Comparisons with other groups and attempts at description would be appreciated. C. -- cspot@hyperreal.com (Chris.Hilker) ...electro-spiritual in composition...

quoted 2 lines After having seen him namechecked often enough, I'm curious about Wagon

>After having seen him namechecked often enough, I'm curious about Wagon >Christ.

personally, I'd say don't waste your money. It has a lot of really cool high pitched sounds that go through the middle of your head, but that's about it. It has very little going on in it-no beats, no textures. It's real minimalistic style like some Eno stuff only makes it boring and a lttle annoying. Buy it used if you just can't stop yourself. k.russell

quoted 8 lines After having seen him namechecked often enough, I'm curious about Wagon

>>After having seen him namechecked often enough, I'm curious about Wagon >>Christ. > >personally, I'd say don't waste your money. It has a lot of really cool >high pitched sounds that go through the middle of your head, but that's >about it. It has very little going on in it-no beats, no textures. It's >real minimalistic style like some Eno stuff only makes it boring and a >lttle annoying. Buy it used if you just can't stop yourself.

Instead of the 'Phat Lab. Nightmare' album, get the 'At Atmos' EP (also on Rising High). It's much better than the album. Really cool hip hop-esque beats and jazzy influences. Wagon Christ is also one half of Vibert/Simmonds. The tracks i heard from their album 'Weirs' (Rephlex) sounded quite good... Cheers, Hans -- +----------------------------+ | Hans Veneman | | veneman@tv99ad.xs4all.nl | | phone: +31(0)3200-35266 | +----------------------------+ http://www.xs4all.nl/~tv99ad

quoted 3 lines Instead of the 'Phat Lab. Nightmare' album, get the 'At Atmos' EP

>Instead of the 'Phat Lab. Nightmare' album, get the 'At Atmos' EP >(also on Rising High). It's much better than the album. Really cool >hip hop-esque beats and jazzy influences.

Phat Lab is a classic! Both EPs are really cool too especially the 1st track on Sunset Boulevard also the CD has an extra cool track

quoted 2 lines Wagon Christ is also one half of Vibert/Simmonds. The tracks i heard

>Wagon Christ is also one half of Vibert/Simmonds. The tracks i heard >from their album 'Weirs' (Rephlex) sounded quite good...

bloody amazing more like it this is the techno-friendly vibert if you like muziq, vogel, heckmann etc this is a must also i just had the privilege of hearing analogue bubblebath 5 and the bradley stryder LP and rdj is well back on the case!

quoted 1 line I just came back from The Big Chill xmas party

> I just came back from The Big Chill xmas party

Tom GlobCom layed some fine ambijungle selections Max Eastley made sound sculptures all night it was cool! morris On Now : Christian Vogel - We Equate Machines with Funkiness EP Wow, why didn't i get this earlier?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- GLOBAL CHILLAGE the new LP from IRRESISTIBLE FORCE out NOW!!! --- --- check out Mixmaster Morris's ambient information server at --- --- http://www.southern.com/MMM/homepage.html (in the uk) --- --- http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/trellos/homepage.html (in the US) --- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, I picked up Wagon Christ's "At Atmos" and liked it a lot - five tracks, some sounding Vibert's Rephlex album, others like songs off Headz. I was wondering if this 12" is representative of WC - does "Phat Lab Nightmare" (or whatever their first album was called) sound anything like this? Thanks for any tips, ...James On: Pentatonik's Anthology. Why didn't I get this earlier?

Just got the new one. Not too impressed with the album. Good mellow stuff. But after the single, wanted more rump-shaking beets. Fortunately, my purchase included the At Atmos ep which effing rocks. Brilliant phat complex funky rhythms. Absolutely gorgeous. Masterful production. Clean but still funky. Would love to hear what Mu-ziq or Aphex would do to this in a remix. Peace. ||| oo- | ThE fLoAtInG hEaD oN < "Beats and bytes, baby. | tHe RoLlInG wAvEs Of = Beats and bytes..." | ThE cYbErSeA........

Hey, I'm looking for a experimental jungle release Wagon Christ has out on (Rising High) can anyone help me??? I heard it was released three weeks ago. please post if anybody has heard anything about this. RiCh ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VIRALGON wrote on Fri, 28 Apr 95 20:17:17 BST :

quoted 7 lines Hey, I'm looking for a experimental jungle release Wagon Christ has out on

> > Hey, I'm looking for a experimental jungle release Wagon Christ has out on > (Rising High) can anyone help me??? I heard it was released three weeks > ago. > > please post if anybody has heard anything about this. >

Wagon Christ (Luke Vibert) has released an LP entitled "throbbing pouch". It is experimental, yes, but jungle, no. It is a series of laid back funky "trip hop" type grooves, and a couple of ambient numbers. Very very good. J ^ __ ___ ___ _ __ __ (__` | (_ /_\ | \ \_/ _ | .__) | (___ / \ |__/ / \_| steady-J@firefox.co.uk

quoted 11 lines Hey, I'm looking for a experimental jungle release Wagon Christ has out on

> > > Hey, I'm looking for a experimental jungle release Wagon Christ has out on > (Rising High) can anyone help me??? I heard it was released three weeks > ago. > > please post if anybody has heard anything about this. > > > RiCh >

This is "Visible Crater Funk" by "Plug 1". I don't think it is out yet because I've only seen a promo. It's mentioned in this months issue of Wire (the one with Scott Walker on the front, hurrah). peter

quoted 10 lines Hey, I'm looking for a experimental jungle release Wagon Christ has out on

>> Hey, I'm looking for a experimental jungle release Wagon Christ has out on >> (Rising High) can anyone help me??? I heard it was released three weeks >> ago. >> >> please post if anybody has heard anything about this. >> >Wagon Christ (Luke Vibert) has released an LP entitled "throbbing pouch".= > It is >experimental, yes, but jungle, no. It is a series of laid back funky "trip hop" >type grooves, and a couple of ambient numbers. Very very good.

Actually, I think I have seen a jungle compilation mixed or selected by Like Vibert. I remember being rather amused by the title of the remix he had done of the track "I like to smoke Marijuana" by Cheeba Project (or something), which was out on Rising High a short while back. He entitled it "Me Too". Ewan.

Ewan Thonger wrote on Mon, 01 May 95 11:13:05 BST :

quoted 8 lines Actually, I think I have seen a jungle compilation mixed or

> Actually, I think I have seen a jungle compilation mixed or > selected by Like Vibert. I remember being rather amused by the title > of the remix he had done of the track "I like to smoke Marijuana" by > Cheeba Project (or something), which was out on Rising High a short > while back. He entitled it "Me Too". > > Ewan. >

That would be "Smokin'" off the "Cheeba EP" by Project 1. The original was yonks ago - sort of "hardcore" from the days before "Jungle" existed per se. There was a junglistic remix out recently which I bought but I didn't think any of the new versions were by Wagon Christ - I'll have to take a look. J ^ James Skilton aka Steady J - steady-j@firefox.co.uk

I'm interviewing Luke Vibert of Wagon Christ if there's any questions anyone would like me to throw his way... ____ Hug Your Waistline to the Bassline Tamara Palmer trance@netcom.com tamara@eye-q.com Women Respond to Bass

Speaking of the man Luke Vibert, I've just got to plug his _Plug 2_ 12" on Rising High. Totally abstract kitch-jazz breakdowns surrounded by the most ass-shaking, cut-up, warped drum & bass rhythms you're likely to hear anywhere. This is the cutting edge of dance music, folks - feet on the floor, eyes on the future. Buy it. - Matthew "I grew up thinking that techno music is actually something that you can't imagine. That is techno at its best. If you hear something that you'd never expect to hear - that's techno. If you hear something that kind of sounds like you've heard it before, then it's not techno." - Jeff Mills

On Sat, 1 Jul 1995, Tamara Palmer wrote:

quoted 2 lines I'm interviewing Luke Vibert of Wagon Christ if there's any questions anyone

> I'm interviewing Luke Vibert of Wagon Christ if there's any questions anyone > would like me to throw his way...

I had mentioned this to the people on IDM, maybe you could ask him if he would consider a collaboration with London's Locust(Mark Van Hoen) for an LP on Rising High(possibly) of 'dark-ambient-jungle-trip-hop'. I loved the Vibert/Simmonds LP and the Seymour/Van Hoen LP... or If he'll ever go back to 'phat lab nightmare'-esque tracks of dark ambient Derek Jordan

Apparently Luke Vibert will be performing live as Wagon Christ in NYC on August 12th. :: Alan M. Parry :: fluid@hyperreal.com :: <finger me for PGP key> :: http://hyperreal.com/~fluid

On Sat, 29 Jul 1995, Alan M. Parry wrote:

quoted 3 lines Apparently Luke Vibert will be performing live as Wagon Christ in NYC on

> > Apparently Luke Vibert will be performing live as Wagon Christ in NYC on > August 12th.

Alan, could you be a little more vague? Do you know where and when or at the least where we can find out? Thanks. cheers gooey

On Fri, 4 Aug 1995, seepy wrote:

quoted 8 lines On Sat, 29 Jul 1995, Alan M. Parry wrote:

> On Sat, 29 Jul 1995, Alan M. Parry wrote: > > > > > Apparently Luke Vibert will be performing live as Wagon Christ in NYC on > > August 12th. > > Alan, could you be a little more vague? Do you know where and when or at > the least where we can find out? Thanks.

From the NYC-Raves mailing list Rave-O-Matic: 8/12 YOUTH_N_ASIA NYC NY Youth N Asia with djs Tim Taylor (London) Casper Pound(London) Triple R (Cologne) Pure (Vienna, Austria) Omar Santana (NYC) Freddie Fresh (St. Paul) Speed Demon (Washington DC) Stas (NYC) Deadly Buda (Boulder) Nikadeemas (Portland) Santana Bros. (on 4 decks) Live Acts: Wagon Christ (London) Distorted Waves of Ohm (Bournmouth, UK) Nico (NYC) MC: Romeo Romeo Cost: $20 at the door E-mail :GOD@teleport.com http://www.teleport.com/god There ya go! - Matthew "I grew up thinking that techno music is actually something that you can't imagine. That is techno at its best. If you hear something that you'd never expect to hear - that's techno. If you hear something that kind of sounds like you've heard it before, then it's not techno." - Jeff Mills

quoted 1 line Apparently Luke Vibert will be performing live as Wagon Christ in NYC on

> Apparently Luke Vibert will be performing live as Wagon Christ in NYC on

When I was at the Massive Attack show in Chicago, I was handed a flyer about some huge rave 30 minutes northwest of Chicago. One of the bands was Wagon Christ. I think the date was August 19th. There was also a second date listed for somewhere in Arizona I think (sorry, I can't find it now). I know the headliner was that bigtime suck Miss Lady Kier. Casper Pound was on the bill as well. While I'm at it, whats the name of the new RSW dub disc? MC

wow, i've been so far gone into FAX land that i almost let a great thing like wagon christ pass me by...truly great stuff...what i'd like is to get some opinions about the redone ep and phat lab nightmare...i know this has probably all been discussed before, so sorry for bringing it up again, but i'd really like to get some more info on these other releases. recommendations for similar sounding material welcome. thanks thanks thanks! r. rdudley@mindspring.com

quoted 6 lines wow, i've been so far gone into FAX land that i almost let a great

> wow, i've been so far gone into FAX land that i almost let a great > thing like wagon christ pass me by...truly great stuff...what i'd like is > to get some opinions about the redone ep and phat lab nightmare...i know > this has probably all been discussed before, so sorry for bringing it up > again, but i'd really like to get some more info on these other releases. > recommendations for similar sounding material welcome. thanks thanks

Phat Lab Nightmare is a startling little number from Rising High and Mr. Vibert. I would say that most of the albums before and a little after the release of PLN on Rising High are "very dark", euphemistically speaking. I originally encountered the Wagon Christ material via Chill Out Or Die II, and knew(even before the release of PLN) that this wouldn't be an average ambient album. Most Rising High ambient releases are very unconventional, and unlike any other ambient material i've heard(exception:FAX, for its dark, & moody gothic sounds from age-old synths (Moog, ARP, Farfisa, etc..) All I can suggest to you are the following: New London School of Electronics-The Deepest Cut Pete Namlook-Silence/Silence II Chill Out Or Die Vol. II/Vol. III Compilations (of course)Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works II Derek Jordan

Derek Jordan wrote on Mon, 18 Sep 95 23:57:34 BST :

quoted 6 lines All I can suggest to you are the following:

> All I can suggest to you are the following: > > New London School of Electronics-The Deepest Cut > Pete Namlook-Silence/Silence II > Chill Out Or Die Vol. II/Vol. III Compilations > (of course)Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works II

Are you saying these were all released on RH? If not, then that's the implication you might give to the uninitiated. Silence II never came out on RH although Silence I did (and was I think uniquely available on Vinyl on this label.) Both of course originate from FAX And of course Aphex's SAWII is on WARP There are a whole lot more excellent ambient LPs on RH as you say. I would recommend MLO - IO (an overlooked masterpiece - I voted it one of my top eight in the fairly recent pollactivity on the Ambeint list, and was the only person to nominate it.) James Bernard - Atmospherics Dreamfish (another FAX refugee) Neutron 9000 - Lady Burning Sky J ^ __________ ________.__/_____ _||_/ James Skilton aka Steady J _[]/_____________[.__\____-_ DJ and Party Animal | | Part Time Hedonist |____________________________| Full Time Technohead |__|-' '-|__| Steady-J@Firefox.co.uk

On Tue, 19 Sep 1995, James Skilton wrote:

quoted 3 lines Are you saying these were all released on RH? If not, then that's the

> Are you saying these were all released on RH? If not, then that's the > implication you might give to the uninitiated. >

True. This reply was mainly for "dark" sounding albums similar to Phat Lab Nightmare.

quoted 2 lines I would recommend

> I would recommend > MLO - IO

I'm still not sure how to swallow this one! Granted, it's a good album, but a bit too minimalist "by-the-numbers" ambient. I could send you a copy of the 1HR 1MIN 1SEC album (The white label MLO album limited to 1000 copies), far better than IO...

quoted 1 line James Bernard - Atmospherics

> James Bernard - Atmospherics

I don't think I need to say anything about this one. PURE ambient-techno at its finest! I might want to get another copy of this one!

quoted 1 line Dreamfish (another FAX refugee)

> Dreamfish (another FAX refugee)

I've heard the entire album on RH compilations, why the hell should I buy the album? Except for the fish on the cover!

quoted 1 line Neutron 9000 - Lady Burning Sky

> Neutron 9000 - Lady Burning Sky

Great tracks, but I missed out on this one. Derek Jordan

On Wed, 15 May 1991, rd wrote:

quoted 1 line wow, i've been so far gone into FAX land that i almost let a

> wow, i've been so far gone into FAX land that i almost let a

great > thing like wagon christ pass me by...truly great stuff...what i'd like is > to get some opinions about the redone ep and phat lab nightmare...i know > this has probably all been discussed before, so sorry for bringing it up > again, but i'd really like to get some more info on these other releases. > recommendations for similar sounding material welcome. thanks thanks > thanks! > > r. > > rdudley@mindspring.com > the reply: i take it you have throbbing pouch? Throbbing pouch is vital; it's got absolutely swinging beats, crazy shifts in sounds and rhythms, and is almost instantly accessible on the first listen, very cheerful, even. I love the way he drops off 90% of the mix and keeps some background loop/shuffle rhythm going, real quiet, something that was in the background for the past 2 minutes but you barely heard it. it's formulaic? but i don't care, it is smooth. In 1989, i would have expected that the groundbreaking hip-hop genre back then (de la soul, bdp, pe, eric b, etc) would in five years evolve into something that would produce work like throbbing pouch. Do you know what i mean? (By the way the "hello" sample on one song is from de la soul's "buddy". What's the "flavor hits yr greedy tongue" from? I think it's on "reedin") We've heard a lot about plugs 1 2 and 3 (also a tribute to "3 feet high and rising" era de la soul, i believe, where they call each other plug 1 2 & 3. Or is there a more common colloquial meaning to "plug 1" that i'm missing? Hey wait: 3 feet high and rising, rising high records, hmm.) ... so I won't speak on those. But here's how some other wagon christ compares, as i see it, all on rising high records, in reverse chronological order, i think: the REDONE ep: 3 mixes; 1 by aphex twin, one by wagon christ, one by voafose or boymarang, i can't remember and the sleeve is confusing anyway. The afx remix is sort of rdj's take on jungle, but not really, only in the sense that it's got super breakneck percussive tempos. it's not at all vibrant like the throbbing pouch album is. it's too manic for me. i much prefer rdj's calm, melodic stuff. the remix wagon christ did himself is pretty good, but it's got a lot of the same elements as the original. RICKALESSI ep: 3 new ones, one off tp, by wagon christ. some excellent remixes with elements of the title song off throbbing pouch. contains a song with an abrasive "you should see how i'm feeling" sample of some grating annoying limey dwarf. AT ATMOS ep: 5 songs. THIS is the one to get as, IMHO. dubby, mature, constantly evolving tunes. a couple tunes begin w/ off kilter warbly feeble legged rickity noises, which slowly evolve into rythmic melodies, become complemented by other elements that drift into the mix, until the whole becomes coherent, complex yet not at all confusing, and it really does swing. PHAT LAB NIGHTMARE: full length eight songs. an appropriate title. bad dreams; unexpected, experimental changes; solitude, yet some definite grooves. more "ambient" or spacious than his later work; less beats. what beats there are are on the mechanical and inorganic side, some 808 sounding stuff peppered in. no one would call this "trip-hop", whereas many feel "throbbing pouch" falls into that category. phat lab nightmare has a lot more synth textures, rather than samples. some of the songs: "mahadelic" is the strong opener; lush trebley synth slides and holds, with a ramshackle percussive bell melody line that eventually manages to undo the bandana its got wrapped around its mouth. then everything drops out for a shuffling bongo solo. next song "glass world" slowly introduces a synth gurgle, which starts out really quiet as barely sputtering periodic bubbles and gestates into a echoey acid tweaked out lonely wasteland figure. the middle song in the "aerhaart" trilogy begins with some gigantic bass reverb monolith slams, they give way to some breathy voiseish chords, then you realize the bass reverb monster footsteps are still there, at 120% the original volume. the third "aerhaart" track presents us with the only obviously sampled drumbeat on the whole album; black sabbath's "wasp", stark and narcotic. the upbeat closing track "dances with frances", give us a forecast of the throbbing pouch style. phat lab nightmare is probably the closest thing to fax. this especially makes sense in light of the story that vibert was unexpectedly invited by rising high to make an "ambient" album. supposed, he was like, uh, yeah sure, i'm an ambient artist. And then he made up a bunch of stuff real quick. Regardless, it's quite an album.

it's coming. 2001 ALBUMS/12" NINJATUNE/NTONE/BIGDADA *dates subject to xenification = changin around* Jan 15 - Ty - "Nonsense" BIG DADA BD 025 12" Jan 22 - T Love "QMS/Witch Bitch" NINJA 12" Jan 29 - Ty - Awkward BIG DADA BD026 2 x LP Feb 5 - DJ Food "Quadraplex EP" Feb 19 - Wagon Christ - Bend Over 12" Zen 12100 Mar 19 - Chris Bowden - Beautiful Nasty including 4 Hero Mix Mar 12 - Wagon Christ Musipal LP ZEN 54 April Neotropic La Prochaine Fois NTONE LP Soon come: Xen Solid Steel Mix, Tone Tales from Tomorrow, Infesticons, Roots Manuva, Poets of Rhythm, Lyrics Born... --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org