Luke Vibert has shared a new DJ mix with XLR8R, recorded live in Cambridge, Massachusetts on January 17, 2019. It was his first time back in the Boston area in more than 15 years. He’s also given a rare interview discussing Recepticon, his first album as Wagon Christ in nearly a decade.

Vibert, a Cornwall, United Kingdom native, has been at the forefront of electronic music for the last 25 years, earning himself a cult-like following for his many recording aliases like Amen Andrews, Kerrier District, Plug, Spac Hand Luke, Ace of Clubs, and Luke Warm. He also releases music under his own name.

Launched in 1994, Vibert’s Wagon Christ moniker has been key in pioneering the trip-hop or downtempo genre of electronic music. It sees him creating, sampling, and using various instrumental hip-hop and funk riffs, found electronic sounds, rare breakbeats, outlandish spoken word samples, and carefully mined sound bites, all bound together with those thick Wagon Christ grooves. Vibert last adorned the alias with 2011’s Toomorrow on Ninja Tune.

We’re told that Recepticon follows the same combination of “mind-warping sampladelic electronic music.” It comes via People of Rhythm Records, packaged with new artwork and visuals by illustrator Celyn Brazier, who illustrated the previous Wagon Christ releases. It’s available on color double vinyl, CD, and digital formats.

In advance of the release, you can download an exclusive mix from Vibert, and read the interview below.

How has your lockdown period been, and how have you spent it?

Ah, strange of course, but I’ve kinda spent my life training for it. I’ve been making music as normal, and making DJ mixes because I miss playing out so much.

It’s been a long time since you last released as Wagon Christ. Why have you dusted off the project now?

I tried a few times with Ninja Tune, but they’re too scared of sampled music these days, after being stung a few times in the past.

How would you define the Wagon Christ project?

I’m not sure really, but it’s the freest of my aliases; almost any genre can be included, from the downtempo trip-hoppy shit through acid house, disco, drum & bass, and whatever. It just has to have a certain vibe.

When and where did you record the new album?

Over the last 10 years, in my bedroom, slowly. I didn’t know I was making an album.

Where did you go looking for samples this time?

I buy cheap old records from the ’50s to ’70s all the time, and take any nice sound or riff or whatever. I have a pretty vast database of samples.

What is it that drives you to make electronic music after so many years, and what role does it play in your life nowadays?

I have to make it; it’s not a choice. Ideally, I’ll be in my studio every day. The less time I have for music-making, the more stressed I become.

What sort of music are you listening to at the moment, and are there any particular artists that are impressing you?

I haven’t really listened to new music since 1998, when it all seemed to start going a bit wrong. At least hip-hop and drum & bass did! People also started using way too much compression, which I hate.

Editor note: The podcast is available for stream only. The download is available exclusively for XLR8R+ members, where you can also download a plethora of previously unreleased and exclusive tracks from the likes of Sebastian Mullaert, Vril, Jack Michael, Leif, and many more. SUBSCRIBE HERE and download the mix here.