Let's Do It Again
label: dymond crook

producers: ski, jocko

guests: handsome, mecca, chris stowe
year of release: 2002
 
Back in '96, Bronx duo Camp Lo dropped their first single, the ultra-mellow "Coolie High," which was also featured on the "Great White Hype" soundtrack. While that tune won them a fair amount of attention, it was their second joint "Luchini (aka This Is It)" that really set it off for Sonny Cheeba and Geechie Suede. An impossible-to-hate-on, horn-fuelled anthem, it fast became a must-have favorite for hip-hop heads across the globe. Their debut album "Uptown Saturday Night" soon followed, an underrated classic overloaded with '70s Blaxploitation references, dripping with their unique tag-team wordplay and exquisitely funky production. That was 1997. Since then, with the exception of some scattered guest appearances, indie/bootleg 12-inches, and a mysterious Japanese import release, they have been pretty much M.I.A., until now. Five years after their first LP dropped, the Lo are back on the scene, with their own Dymond Crook label, and a brand-new album appropriately titled "Let's Do It Again".

tracklisting
1. Gotcha
2. Let's Do It Again
3. Glow
4. 8 Moons Ago
5. How U Walkin
6. Black Connect II
7. Soul Train
8. Gorilla Pimp
9. China Soul
10. Macadame
11. Turbo Ozone
12. Carnival 4 Sha
13. Skybox
Produced almost entirely by Ski, (the NC beat-wizard behind much of their debut, as well as some "Reasonable Doubt"-era Jay-Z joints,) the production is strong and catchy throughout, with an assortment of crisp drums, extra percussion, smooth basslines, and hot samples. The title track "Let's Do It Again" rocks some nice phased-out loops and syncopated beats, with mildly Spanish sounding keys as well. On the previously released "Glow," they trade short verses atop a bass-heavy instrumental perfect for the club. "8 Moons Ago" (produced by Jocko) sports some silky Stevie Wonder-esque singing, plucked harps, and minimalist drums, while "China Soul" flaunts sped-up vocal clips, bongos, and Asiatic-sounding strings. Arguably the hottest number onboard, "Black Connection II" is a crazy tale of international jewel thieves and James Bond style tactics, set to acoustic guitar loops, familiar TV-theme flutes, dramatic piano riffs, and extremely punchy beats.
On each track, Cheeba and Suede's rhyme style remains distinctly their own, flexing a charismatic (if somewhat nonsensical) back-and-forth, word association steez heavy on the original slang. On "Soul Train" for example: "After hours / China clam chowder / sniffin' baby powder in my prowler / right / I'm blowin' flowers / mixin' it with sour / whiskey terryaki getting' sticky / tonight." Though their unique prose can be a little hard to follow at times, they win points for style alone, and longtime fans will be happy to hear that they haven't abandoned their "Uptown..." approach.
All in all, "Let's Do It Again" is not the classic that their first album was, but it's far from wack either. There are several definite winners in the mix, and more than a few tracks that could easily be major hit singles. Unfortunately, without a big label (i.e. fat pockets) behind the project, it remains to be seen if Camp Lo can bust into the mainstream and get the props they deserve. In the meantime, true fans finally have new material to bump, and if we're lucky, they'll return with more hotness soon.
review: brolin winning
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