DJ Cam Presents the French Connection

DJ Cam's sound merges blunt street rhythms with languid samples and atmospheric soundscapes, typifying the increasingly popular school of Parisian trip-hop turntablists. This particular record is a showcase for Artefact, a French label specializing in this approach, as Cam casts an unhurried, hypnotizing spell culled from Artefact's cadre of developing artists. Edgy yet melodious, it's diverse enough to encompass drum & bass, diva vocals, and light trance, but similar enough to display continuity of texture and intention. From the stripped-down big beat of More's "Baron Samedi" all the way through to "One of These Days," Zend Avesta's dusky, Caribbean-flavored pop, Cam shows off a vitally energetic and inventive feel for the material. He ends up creating both an ideal primer for those who wish to explore the French trip-hop subgenre as well as just the right mood music for restless nights and rootless afternoons.