At worst (read: often alone, and not entirely sober) these tracks become karaoke versions of rap songs I dutifully recite every word to. At best, when I press play on first track “Palace,” I expect the drawl of A$AP Rocky to slouch over the beat. But for all the wondrous images that his music conjures up, this is not how I listen to Mike Volpe’s Instrumental Mixtape 2. These beats are so singular that it’s often more rewarding to try and describe his music through abstract similes rather than literal comparison-you could easily persuade me that Clams Casino is what a smoke machine sounds like in an empty, echoey room.

Let’s be real: this release consists of some of the best beats of the year (okay, last year, most of them) and underlines the peerlessness of Clams’ hazy, sonorous craft it clarifies his prolific intent into a streamlined compilation, in much the same way as Instrumental Mixtape (2011) did before it. 'Worth It' was for Danny Brown, 'Leave With You' was for Lucki, 'Kali Yuga' was for Ghostmane, and 'Stem / Long Stem Remix' and 'Elastic Heart Remix' were remixes done for DJ Shadow and Sia.A part of me feels bad for how I relate to Clams Casino’s second instrumental mixtape. 'Surf,' 'Norf Norf,' and 'Summertime' were all originally for Vince Staples. Mixtape tracks 'Uncle' and 'Talk It' were originally produced for A$AP Ferg.

The last edition of his instrumental mixtape series, Instrumental Tape 3, came out in 2013. He first announced the mixtape on Saturday, when he also shared the gauzy, spaced-out track 'Wavey.' 32 Levels, his debut album, was released last year. Instrumentals 4 features two previously unreleased tracks-'Say Your Prayers' and 'Wavey'-as well as a host of beats and remixes he's done over the last few years. New Jersey producer Clams Casino has shared the fourth iteration of his signature instrumental mixtape series.

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