With the warm July eases its way out to the even hotter August, the music has not slowed down in the least. To keep in with the local Brooklyn flavor, Cam Outlaw, is making moves with the release of his album, ‘Half Asleep’ today. The man, who hails originally from Northern VA, is active in the music scene and can always be spotted biking the wild Brooklyn streets. He is a talent for listeners to enjoy and pay attention to. Mr. Outlaw had plenty to say about this ambitious endeavor.
‘Half Asleep’ was a vast artistic shift for the musician. “The motivation for this album was about coming from the back as drummer/producer and becoming more of a lead/vocalist. Also, borrowing ideas from all my influences coming from a jazz drumming background, everything from fusion to hip-hop and really diving into the U.K. electronic scene… A lot of the tracks I was just kinda letting my brain roam free in the studio, not trying to fit into any mold or genre and experimenting with shorter forms.”
Mr. Outlaw is no stranger to added skills within the musical space. In preparation for the release of ‘Half Asleep’ he unveiled his single, Way Way Up. The track features the signature added beauty from singer Aria Jay, whose epic spring EP release, ‘Growth’, was produced by none other than Mr. Outlaw himself. The duo’s work together has been fruitful and the collaborative spirit has paid off immensely for them both as can be heard in the track.
Within Cam’s album, however, the message is a timely one. “The theme of this album is about dealing with anxiety. Not everybody talks about it but i’m pretty sure everybody has it [in] various degrees. Learning to deal with your thoughts and how they affect you, everything from relationships to drugs, it’s not so obvious but the theme is kinda woven through in each song.”
Being a drummer, his work throughout remains powerful along with his added contemporaries. Cam gave a mention to his favorite bits. “My favorite personal part of this album would probably be the drums on Escape. Once a drummer always a drummer, that track showcases drumming as well as the new vocal stuff I’ve gotten into. It’s a good blend. Also all the great vocalists [and additional musicians, Aria Jay, Miranda Glory, Ingrid Bock and Tamara Renée] on this album help to make it that much better.”
Give a watch and a listen to Cam’s own words about the album below and be sure to enjoy ‘Half Asleep’ in all its glory:
Jam on.
