I don't normally review Techno (or Rave, House, Jungle, Ambient, Drum n' Bass) CDs. Mostly because I'm genuinely frightened by the subculture its created. I knew a number of techno kids back at NYU, and have allowed my distaste for them to color my opinion of the entire genre. Prejudice, I know--but I also listen to so much goddamned music as it is, that I feel it's okay to just reject some things outright.

That said, for whatever reason, I've managed to cross paths with, and become completely enamored of, a new CD by techno guru Luke Vibbert (he of Wagon Christ and Plug) in collaboration with the great western swing guitarist BJ Cole. A juxtaposition so wacky has to be either total genius or complete bunk. It turns out to be somewhere in the middle, but the resulting album, Stop The Panic is a work of great daring and, indeed, complete originality.

After a health and happiness style down-home intro (over, dare I say, phat beats and illbient effects) the album kicks off with "Swing Lite, Alright." Perhaps the peppiest tune since "Hooray For Hollywood," it features a wonderfully hummable slide guitar riff, followed by fiddle breaks and some "zoom, zoom, zoom" harmonizing. Were it not for the jungle breaks, it could be played at the Grand Ole Opry.

That cut is the exception to the rest of the album. Most of it is standard techno, repeated electronic chords, endless beats and blips and flashes and pre-recorded phrases. But if you listen closely, you'll notice the influence of western swing instruments. (I think there may even be an electric saw on here somewhere!)

"Hipalong Hop," while featuring the now standard dance music "yelp!" as a cadence, also has a kick-ass banjo riff. "Fly Hawaii" plays with the cliché of that too famous Don Ho, Grass skirt riff . . . the one Ned Flanders heard as he entered the funny farm. Add to this ethereal electronic windchimes, and the sound of children playing, and you've got some unique, very entertaining ambient music, much like on the early Art of Noise albums (the last time I really checked in with the genre.)

There is certainly a sense of humor here, even if the men behind the music are very serious about creating a new sound. "This Stuff Is Fresh" features the self-mocking mantra of a scratched out Donald Duck voice reminding us, indeed, how fresh these beats are. "Cheng Phooey" re-wires lap steel guitars to sound like Indian sitars, though the beat is entirely electronic. I suppose they just thought guitar-as-sitar would go well there. The result is humorous, and a little spooky (it whirls off into the shamanistic night at eight and a half minutes.)

"Songs of the Night Life" brings back the emcee from the opening, and closes with a post-electronic Vegas style panache. Half "Christmas in Heaven," half coked-out dance club whore. Stunning stuff, and, undoubtedly, the closing track for a number of my mixed tapes to come.