There is something wondrous about the music of Clams Casino. It's hard to believe that the he was once a physical therapist student making beats on the side for fun. Indeed, he does not think like ordinary producers. "To find things to sample, I used to just type a random word-- like "blue" or "cold"-- into LimeWire or BearShare and download the first 10 results," he told Pitchfork in a 2011 interview.
Now 29, Clams has scored production credits on songs by A$AP Rocky, Vince Staples, Mac Miller, Lil B, and A$AP Ferg, but he's like Flying Lotus in that sometimes, his beats sound better on their own. Sometimes it's better to let that bitch breathe.
To prepare for Clams' album coming out soon, click through the gallery to experience ten of his best tracks -- five beats he produced for others and five of his own instrumentals.
Vince Staples - "Norf Norf"
The Summertime '06 production braintrust effectively consisted of No I.D., DJ Dahi, and Clams Casino. On "Norf Norf", Clams weaves a rich sonic tapestry that sounds a lot like whales calling to each other underwater. If you wanted, you could say the beat simulates the socioeconomically submerged condition of the ghetto.
A$AP Rocky - Palace
Clams Casino produced five tracks on A$AP Rocky's breakout tape Live.Love.A$AP, and we could have easily picked anyone of them to include here.
Floyd Mayweather often walks out to the ring to Jahlil Beats' "Ima Boss" instrumental. If Clams was around back in the day, Ramses II would have walked out to "Palace".
A$AP Ferg - "Psycho"
"Psycho" is of three Always Strive and Prosper tracks Clams co-produced with DJ Khalil. "Psycho" beat seems to combine Khalil's masterful drum sequencing abilities with Clams' nostalgic sampling tendencies. But it's hard to say exactly -- it wouldn't be a stretch if the opposite were true.
Robb Bank$ - "Fine$t"
The "Fine$t" beat sounds kind of like a shroomed out version of a Puddle of Mudd guitar hook. It works quite well, especially in teh context of this video, in which Bank$ goes canoeing through the Florida swamps, probably tripping balls.
Another Clams piece of production worth checking out: Bank$'s "Counting".
Vince Staples - "Surf" ft. Kilo Kush
To keep the animal kingdom metaphor going from the last Staples/Casino song here, "Surf" could be the soundtrack to any gripping chase -- a cheetah after a gazelle, a Peregrine falcon after a duck. Or... police after young Staples?
"I'm God"
Possibly Clams' most celebrated beat, "I'm God" is a stunning flip of Imogen Heap's "Just For Now". The version with Lil B (who Clams met on MySpace), included below, is one of the Based God's best songs. The beat really get to the heart of what he's taking about. "Bruh think I'm gay 'cause I'm riding in my tiny pants/ Bet I'm the only goon, nigga, in these tiny pants."
"I'm the Devil"
Like "I'm God", "I'm the Devil" samples Imogen's Heap "Just For Now" -- except in reverse. Get it! The title is perhaps a reference to Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven", which, when played in reverse, supposedly results in Robert Plant chanting "666."
"All I Need"
Similar to his bro Flying Lotus, Clams has a gift for bizarre but oddly captivating music videos that have nothing to do with the actual music. This of course requires very good music to pull off. "All I Need" draws the listener in with a tongue-speaking reversed vocal sample, one of Clams' signatures, and a panned stutter snare.
"Real Shit From a Real Nigga"
Manual's "1986", "Real Shit From a Real Nigga" is a good example of one of Clams greatest talents -- his knack for picking breathtaking samples and making them his own while preserving the essence of the original.
"Motivation"
It is true that Clams Casino's beats are highly motivational. "I'm God" is probably his most inspiring. But there's something about "Motivation" that puts everything in perspective. It makes you realize how small we are, and how short life is. Knowing that is kind of liberating.