Vibrations

A debut full-length from Danny Breaks nearly ten years after his first production, Vibrations recycles exactly zero of his previous work for Droppin' Science (surprisingly sponsored by Carhartt). Instead Breaks constructed ten tracks (plus an intro and outro) semi-organized along a time-travel theme with progressive sample throwbacks taken from '50s dramas and '60s space soundtracks. Yes, it's been done scads of times, but since the breaks are the thing on a Danny Breaks record, it's forgivable. He begins in familiar territory with the loungy atmosphere of "Astral Vibes," backed by vibraphone, flute, and what sounds like a pennywhistle in the background. Most of the record is far better, like the echoey piano of "The Big Bossa" or "Invasion"'s blend of gritty funk and live-sounding breaks. "Beat Biter" blends a '50s string-fantasy sample with a rapper from the old school over a masterful concoction of subtly shifting breakbeats. By the end of the album, Vibrations has finally moved into the present — it's almost a tech record — driven by warped basslines like on the title song. If only the samples were as futuristic and ambitious as the drum programming.