Splashdown

VINYL FORMAT. Breakwater may have only released two albums while signed to Arista Records in the late 1970s, but those releases established a cult following for the eight-piece Philadelphia-based band that remains strong long after their breakup. Splashdown, their second LP, takes the romantic balladry and harmonies of Philly soul stalwarts like The Stylistics and Blue Magic and seamlessly infuses them with a dose of jazz and funk, creating tight, upbeat arrangements that fully exploit the group's robust rhythm section. Their solitary funk rock track 'Release the Beast' endures the most thanks to Daft Punk, who sampled the song's unmistakable synthesizer part for their 2005 single 'Robot Rock.' Packaged in an old-school paste-on jacket.