Zero-G
Feb 1, 2001 12:00 PM, Chris Gill
Shawn Lee apparently possesses some sort of fascination with our simian siblings. He recently released the acclaimed solo album Monkey Boy; played guitar, bass, and drums on Nigo's Ape Sounds; and has produced the Planet of the Breaks series of sample CDs. Despite Lee's primate references, you can rest assured that his latest production, Beneath the Planet of the Breaks (audio/WAV, $99.95), is no collection of grunting, chest-thumping, and bone-banging mayhem à la the “Dawn of Man” film scenes in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Like the prior Planet of the Breaks CD, this sequel offers breaks and nothing but breaks — 75, to be exact. Most last at least 16 measures, for a total of 63 minutes of material ranging in tempo from 54 to 180 bpm. The CD doesn't include individual hits or construction kits, just rhythm patterns for looping. The overall effect is like a needle drop on a drum break: these are essentially drum and percussion performances, with only occasional instrumental adornments such as a bass line or Rhodes piano riff, electronic effects, or turntable scratching.
Many of the loops come in a relatively raw form, allowing you to modify them easily with your own effects processing. But even the roughest examples have a finished, produced quality, so you can slam them into a track without further tweaks. Quite a few loops are “vinylized” with pops, clicks, and static — fine if you want that authentic dusty-groove feel for a hip-hop production, but not so cool if you want a pristine sheen. Considering the wide availability of plug-ins that provide this effect, it would be nice to have clean versions instead. Several loops are heavily processed with wah-wah, phasing, distortion, or reverb, but the effects are a big part of the loops' charm.
The rhythmic styles encompass various de rigueur funky, jazzy, and Latin-inspired genres with a rock edge. Most of the grooves sound as if they were lifted from some collection of ’70s blaxploitation and Lalo Schifrin soundtracks. In fact, many patterns sound a little too close to well-known songs: for example, the “Fast ’n’ Bulbous” loop sounds almost identical to the already overused “Amen” break. Of course, the fact that these loops are separate, original musical performances will help you avoid those nasty clearance snags, so if you want to plunder without making a legal blunder, dig right in!
Some of the audio material is a bit redundant: certain 16-bar loops consist of just two 1-bar patterns repeated over and over — not exactly the most efficient use of disc space. It's convenient to have the loops prearranged into measures, but I'd prefer a bunch of separate 1- to 2-bar loops with more fills and variations. Also, some of the WAV files are mislabeled (for example, the “Dodge” and “And Wah Wah” names are switched); it's a minor inconvenience that may occasionally confuse you in the heat of a session.
When it comes to funky breaks, Shawn Lee is definitely the top banana. If you're looking for loops with loads of primal attitude, you'll go ape over Beneath the Planet of the Breaks.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 4
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