DJ Cam - Loa Project (Volume II)

After the self-implosion of his ‘pure hip-hop’ album, The Beat Assassinated, DJ Cam returns somewhat to the jazzy roots that made his first two albums so powerful. Without doubt, the beats are much harder on The Loa Project, Volume II than previously, but on tracks like “Juliet,” it causes an interesting friction between the melody and the rhythm. Cam also continues his pursuit of strict hip-hop (like on “Mental Invasion”), but it’s not as abrasive as on The Beat Assassinated. “Candyman” samples from the horror movie of the same name, and, as you’d expect, it’s quite creepy. On this album, as well, DJ Cam also explores house beats (“DJ Cam Sound System”) as well as soul (“You Do Something To Me”). Even on the final track, “Angel Heart,” you can hear what made his earlier albums so great. This is a welcome step back in the right direction.