“vibert_luke”
Luke Vibert / BJ Cole
Stop the Panic
Astralwerks
Talk about an unlikely meeting! Luke Vibert is one of the best minds in electronic music today – the man behind Plug, Wagon Christ, as well as a host of others. BJ Cole is an internationally known “genius of steel guitar.” Cole is known for his non-country, new/age ambient works, covering such composers as Gnossiannes, Defunte, and Debussy, exclusively on a pedal steel guitar.
This album is a “peculiar hybrid” of jungle, downtempo, and breakbeats, Hawaiian music, Latin influence, big band brass, and lots of psychedelia. “Dischordzilla” is a heavy-handed trip-hop track with some serious organ pounding, and flanging, while “Start The Panic” is a drum ‘n bass track with almost tongue-in-cheek divas and hip-hop samples, and a whining steel guitar. Hip-hop beats meet honky-tonk banjo and steel guitar on (gotta love this track name) “Hipalong Hop,” and “Fly Hawaii” brings up images of swingin’ b-boys at a Luau. Vibert comes through with some of his Plug sound of “Baby Steps,” and “Watery Glass Planet,” while “Songs of the Night Life” is a delightfully analog integration with the steel guitar. Decidedly cheesy, very inventive. A great collaboration.
Astralwerks, 104 W. 29th St., New York, NY 10001; http://www.astralwerks.com
