Son Raw thinks those seapunks are bound to dri-zown.
Snarkier rap fans occasionally dismiss instrumental versions as background music or rapper food and for once they’d be right: Clams Casino’s latest instrumental tape is EXCELLENT background music and rapper food. That’s partially because his samples often sound like chopped n’ screwed whale songs but also because his choice of rappers (A$AP Rocky aside) tends to leave a healthy portion of the Hip-Hop listenership reaching for the skip button. That’s a shame because out of all the brand-nu-school producers blurring the lines between the mainstream and underground, Clams may be the most singular: you can’t say that he’s updating a classic sound or even looking to other hot genres for inspiration. Instead he’s found an original style and keeps on pushing it past the breaking point, going beyond dusty into blaring blasts of distortion and unconventional textures and timbres.
It’s a sound that’s attracted everyone from indie acts to swag rappers with the potential to go even further – a quick listen to this tape and it’s easy to imagine a full-length collaboration with a number of vocalists or an experimental rock project with live instruments beefing up his sample science. As for rap, a number of gritty New Yorkers could benefit from the starker side of his production, even if they may not be ready for his Imogen Heap samples. Until his next move however, I can’t front him for this one: I’m God and Unchain me sound a hella lot better without Lil B and if he’s willing to give these beats out for free, he can sell ’em to whoever wants them.
Download:
MP3: Clams Casino – Instrumental Mixtape Vol 2.
