Hands-on hybrid of new breaks and old classics
Richard Diaz | 12/26/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Hooray for some breakbeat albums finally hitting Stateside, in this case Paul Oakenfold's Perfecto label tapping groovetastic record maker Lee Coombs for a debut spin-off series. His sound lies somewhere between house and breaks, as evident all over the mix; far more than just a DJ gluing records together, Coombs re-cuts, edits, and revamps most of the tunes here for a very hands-on hybrid. The selections pull from fifteen years of music, "Energy Flash," "Jam the Mace," and "Promised Land," are all dirty, sweaty classics pre-dance boom, a welcome reminder that the Next Big Thing in records can be found in the past as easily as on white label acetate. Before that though, Lamb's conga lines and electric swirls on "Sweet" propel the start, Meat Katie collaborates on the stabbing bass "2 Men on A Trip" (excellent), and "Snake Charmer" sounds exactly that. The back half spins all aceeeeed! funk via Joey Beltram and Coombs (again), but it rocks. Quite. Oh, and House Syndicate's "Jam the Mace," which your local DJ's probably spinning right now = ace. A jerky vocal mucks up Moby's "I Feel It," the lone dud, but that's being picky. If you like them breaks, go with this."
A Decade of Electronica With a Break Beat Flavor
CloudMan | Vancouver, BC | 06/22/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The first of the Perfecto Breaks series features re-mix master, Lee Coombs. A very bold undertaking indeed. Coombs gathers a dozen eclectic tracks spanning a decade of electronica and creates a his own signature mix to the not-so-popular-with-the-masses, break beat.
The overall album does not sound like a true mix as the tracks progress along. Abrupt transitions and very short crossfading is noticable. Very unique, and well edited, but this may be annoying to electronica fans who obsess about a DJ's cross-mixing capabilities. This is not the most danceable set out, but break beat sets never are.
The tracks "I feel it", "Promised Land" and "Difference" (wonderful track) top my list as favorites on this album. Could have done without "Jam the Mace" by House Syndicate. Despite its re-mix and editing, it is still a very chessy track and always will be.
This album gets 4/5 stars."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
