Here, the far-more-famous A$AP Rocky shares space with Lil B over a lurching instrumental constructed from chopped-up vocal fragments, explosion sound effects, and breathy synths. Like Clams, Lil B has exerted an outsized influence on his peers, and “Be Somebody” feels like an acknowledgement of that fact. He tightens up his improvisational style to suit the mood, while staying loose enough to sink into the open spaces where Clams’ instrumentals exhale. Lil B rises to the occasion, showing up in a way we don’t often get to hear. Here Lil B gets to test-drive the latest generation of Clams Casino beats: tracks that are more structurally robust if just as foggy on the surface. Clams Casino and Lil B were instrumental in each others’ rise, and these songs serve as a reminder that both artists still do their best work together. Essentially, the first half of the record feels like a Lil B/Clams Casino album: the BasedGod graces four of these six tracks and the album opens with his signature “yessssss” ad lib. The A-side consists of six satisfying rap songs, each of which leverage different facets of Clams’ sound.

‘Instrumentals’ is where it all begins.32 Levels has very distinct A and B-sides, which split cleanly among the album’s 12 tracks.

His sound is totally unique, and as he punctuates tracks with blissful ambience and inspired samples it’s hard not to believe this is a producer destined for ture greatness. Clams’ real skill is to combine the delirious club sound of post-2010 rap with something almost unheard in the genre. The half-heard vocals, twisted, rolling beats and acid-bathed samples are now pushed to the forefront, and you’d struggle to hear how a rapper, no matter how competent would manage to compete with such precise songwriting. Surprisingly, with the raps stripped away the tracks take on a life of their own, and hearing Clams’ intricate productions with the space to breathe feels like a real privilege. You see, Clams hasn’t confined his songwriting to rap music alone, and listening to his productions you can hear a keen sense of harmony, a pop sensibility and a willingness to let sounds dissolve into an uncharacteristic dream-like haze.Īfter a genre-bending EP on the esteemed Tri-Angle label, this double LP compiles some of Clams’ most crucial and sought after beats.

Edging into the limelight after passing tunes to Soulja Boy and Bay Area superstar Lil B, his originality has resonated with more than just rap fans. Clams Casino is the memorable pseudonym of New Jersey resident Mike Volpe, who in the last few months has shot from relative obscurity to production sensation thanks to a handful of blistering tracks.

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