Claptone

Wearing a trademark golden bird mask, the enigmatic Claptone works as a Berlin-based DJ and producer who unites deep house with indie dance. His productions typically employ even, club-ready tempos alongside mellow chords, designed to energize dancefloors while still carrying undercurrents of solitude and emotional ache. Releases such as the 2015 album Charmer and the 2021 set Closer have featured appearances by Peter Bjorn and John, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Jimi Tenor, and Seal.

The project first appeared in 2011 through digital singles issued on Shir Khan’s Exploited imprint. Those early cuts often centered on well-known samples, among them a version of “Light My Fire” and the memorable motif drawn from Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.” Claptone quickly established a busy schedule as a remixer, reworking material for house figures George Morel and Riva Starr as well as pop acts including the Pet Shop Boys. The 2013 single “No Eyes,” featuring vocalist Jaw from the French group dOP, led to further releases that filled the 2015 debut album Charmer. Issued jointly by the PIAS-affiliated label Different, the record contained contributions from Peter Bjorn and John, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Jimi Tenor, and Young Galaxy. That same year brought praise for Claptone’s take on Gregory Porter’s “Liquid Spirit,” along with additional remixes for Disclosure, Faithless, and Róisín Murphy.

Late 2016 saw the double-mix CD The Masquerade appear on Defected/ITH Records, with further reworkings of Charmer tracks continuing into 2017. Also that year Claptone issued “The Drums,” built around George Kranz’s 1983 club staple “Din Daa Daa.” The follow-up album Fantast arrived in June 2018 and included the track “Birdsong.” A collaboration with Mylo updated the 2004 hit “Drop the Pressure” for a 2020 release. Ahead of the 2021 album Closer, several singles emerged, among them joint efforts with Seal and James Vincent McMorrow.