Clams Casino // Moon Trip Radio

Columbia 

4.5 stars out of 5 

Clams Casino is far from a household name. In fact, if your average listener recognizes the producer's pseudonym at all, it's likely from his work pioneering cloudy beats for hip-hop giants like Lil B, Vince Staples, and A$AP Rocky. But on the producer's second solo LP,  Moon Trip Radio, he forgoes the guest spots for a collection of atmospheric, dreamy, and cohesive instrumentals. For all intents and purposes,  Moon Trip Radio could be most successful when divorced entirely from its hip-hop origins. The album plays closer to something from film musician Oneohtrix Point Never; while drums and bass still remain close to the front of the mix, songs like "Rune" and "Cupidwing" are designed to melodically score endless late-night drives. Lo-fi sound effects, tape hiss, and vinyl crackles breathe through these songs, adding a layer of texture where other producers might be comfortable delivering something more two-dimensional and straightforward. In  Moon Trip Radio, Clams Casino manages to casually deliver an experience than many musicians only dream of.

— Aaron Mook