New Jersey Producer Clams Casino Plays Cervantes' Denver Tomorrow Night

By: Annie Kane

The New Jersey producer making unexpected waves in hip-hop is set to play Cervantes’ Masterpiece in Denver this Saturday.

Clams Casino's unique sound, which mixes an ethereal presence with a hard edge, has led the artist also known as Michael Volpe to collaborate with a wide range of artists since his beginnings six years ago. He scored his first collaboration with Lil B in 2010, and since then has been making his way through the industry by predominately working with hip-hop artists (though there are some exceptions).

Clams Casino.

Clams Casino.

CC’s latest album, 32 Levels, demonstrates Volpe’s beat-mixing capabilities and really showcases him stepping out and into his own artistry. The release includes both the instrumental and featured versions of his tracks, inviting other curious artists to try their hand at mixing their own vocals over his productions. Vince Staples, A$AP Rocky, Samuel T. Herring, Mikky Ekko, and others are all featured on the album.

Imagine reinterpreting the film Donnie Darko with an electronic and vocal-infused soundtrack, and you can begin to grasp what Clams’ style is reminiscent of. Take “Thanks to You” featuring Sam Dew, for example. The beat comes and goes like a delayed heartbeat, as Dew’s dreamy voice sings about losing his mind and going insane. The random key notes and electronic riffs throw in an added unexpected effect. It’s this sort of style that makes Clams' unignorable.

Clams Casino is part of a new wave of producers, including Metro Boomin and Kaytranada, who are making headway on their own right and giving fame the man behind the curtain. Come see the once very shrouded Clams Casino this Saturday night at Denver’s Cervantes’ with opening acts from Keyboard Kid, Insightful and RumTum. Tickets are only $20 in advance; get them here!

-Annie

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All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.