Mini Reviews: Breaks CDs

Some new music I've gotten recently in the breakbeat genre...

Rennie Pilgrem - Pilgremage (TCR)
An interesting array of music for one of the biggest names in breaks. Lots a variety in sounds - acid jazzy type stuff to the breaky stuff he's renown for, plus a bit of house style stuff. To me the album is a little hit and miss... the good stuff is REALLY good, but the not so good stuff is surprisingly present.

Lee Coombs - Breakfast of Champions (Finger Lickin)
Fantastic album! Nice heavy basslines and lots of funky breaks and samples. Coombs really shows his dancefloor mentality and devotion here.

Hexstatic - Master View (NinjaTune)
Hexstatic are just so damn cool it's not funny. Musically this album is more accessable than their last, or maybe it's that peoples perception is catching up to Hexstatic. Lots of quirky, funny sounds and samples, and some damn nice funk there too! Yet to view the DVD, but it comes with 3D glasses so it's gotta be class! =)

Forefront - Mixed by EK (Falcon St Beats)
Fantastic album full of Aussie breaks producers such as EK, Nubreed, Friendly, Bass Kleph and more. The beats are really tough, the production is superb and the mixing is tight. Shows Aussie producers are just as good as anybody else.

Breaks 04 - Mixed by Kid Kenobi (Ministry of Sound)
I'm not the biggest fan of 'disco' breaks, and CD 1 is full of them, but this CD isn't as cheesy as the Kids' last effort. CD 2 features MC Sureshock, and the breaks are much harder, much to my liking. Again, it seems like an introduction to breaks rather than a showcase of the good stuff, but still is pretty decent.

Hybrid Presents Y4K - Hybrid (Distinctive Breaks)
Very interesting mix continuing the great Y4K series. Very cinematic in scope in some places, hard and heavy in others.

Palookaville - Fat Boy Slim (Skint)
Another hit and miss album. The singles are really average, but the other songs (particularly Wonderful Night feat. Lateef) are awesome. Reminds me of the Gorilla album in it's scope.