- Widely recognised across the board for his unique sounds incorporating acid and tribal elements in a breakbeat context, Lee Coombs returns after the success of his debut album Future Sound Of Retro with Breakfast Of Champions. Similar to the formula used in Future Sound Of Retro, Breakfast Of Champions features collaborations with some of breakbeats finest producers, a couple of Lee Coombs solo efforts and remixes that still retain that signature Coombs sound.
The first single to be lifted from the album is the immensely popular Alright All Night - a collaboration with Dylan Rhymes. A deep growling bass line permeates the tune with a progressive build up that brings in a wicked bongo riff, rock like vocal samples and freaky acid stabs. The flipside to this was a collaboration with Christian J called Dubhead which sits on more of a tribal house tip featuring what sounds like a didgeridoo sample accompanied by a piano loop and eerie vocal stabs.
Obsessional Rhythm has a distinct Plump sound to it thanks in part to Plump DJ Andy Gardner lending a hand. A dirty monotonic bassline lays the foundation for Plump style beats, Coombs style electro-house hook, retro handclaps and latin percussion breaks. The title tune harks back to early 90's acid house featuring typical 90's dance music elements like orchestra synth stabs, catchy melodic bassline and a bubbly acid line.
Lee is also known for his remixes and Breakfast Of Champions features two of them. Oakenfold's Time Of Your Life gets transformed into a dirty, electro breaker featuring Infusion style vocodered vocals whereas his remix of New Order's Crystal has a similar feel to his remix of Lamb's Sweet - the lead single taken from his Perfecto Breaks CD from early 2003. Lee's remix incorporates deep tribal drums, rocky bass line, New Order style guitar lick and beach sounds of waves crashing onto shoreline rocks while Bernard Sumner gets the filter treatment for his vocals.
A breakfast of champions will involve a well rounded meal incorporating elements from the 5 major food groups and in a major way Lee has done this on Breakfast Of Champions - it brings out elements of electro, house, rock, acid and tribal all taken in a proper breakbeat format while the collaborators he's worked with add a little spice to the meal. It's quite an enjoyable album to listen and recommended for fans of his earlier work and also those who like artists such as Meat Katie, Dylan Rhymes and Soul Of Man.