Abstract Manifesto

The third album from Paris’ DJ Cam is an elegant, minimal trip hop affair, deftly blending raw drum breaks, vinyl scratching and abstract textures with live jazz playing and jazz samples. Abstract Manifesto also includes a few drum & bass experimentations that explore the half-speed/double speed possibilities of mixing super fast and super slow genres (jungle/drum & bass and trip hop respectively). There’s a purist sensibility to the tracks: the beats feel like authentic MPC or SP1200 boom baps, the jazz playing on tracks like opener Maiden Voyage, the swinging Un été à Paris and the silky smooth Yes Yes No is a real, breathing part of the productions, and there’s no musical fat, every track is lean, efficient and classy.