Claptone

Easily recognizable by his signature golden bird mask, Claptone is an anonymous Berlin-based DJ and producer who bridges the worlds of deep house and indie dance. His tracks generally feature smooth, DJ-friendly tempos and warm chords, and while they’re clearly crafted to soundtrack a joyous night out at a club, there’s a tinge of loneliness and heartache to them. Claptone’s singles and albums, including 2015′s Charmer and 2021′s Closer, have included guests such as Peter Bjorn and John, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Jimi Tenor, and Seal.
Claptone first surfaced in 2011 with a series of digital singles on Shir Khan’s Exploited label. These tracks were generally built around recognizable samples, such as a cover of “Light My Fire” or the haunting melody from Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.” Claptone soon became highly prolific as a remixer, with clients including house producers George Morel and Riva Starr as well as pop groups such as the Pet Shop Boys. In 2013, Claptone released the single “No Eyes,” which featured vocalist Jaw of French group dOP. Several more singles followed, all of which appeared on Claptone’s 2015 debut full-length Charmer. Co-released by the PIAS-affiliated imprint Different, the album was loaded with guests, including Peter Bjorn and John, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Jimi Tenor, and Young Galaxy. During the same year, Claptone received acclaim for his remix of Gregory Porter’s “Liquid Spirit.” He also remixed songs by Disclosure, Faithless, Róisín Murphy, and others.
Claptone’s double-mix CD The Masquerade was released by Defected/ITH Records in late 2016, while remixes of Charmer tracks surfaced into 2017. Also that year, Claptone released “The Drums,” a track based on George Kranz’s 1983 club classic “Din Daa Daa.” The artist’s second full-length album, Fantast, followed in June 2018 and featured the single “Birdsong.” Claptone teamed up with Mylo on a remake of the 2004 hit “Drop the Pressure,” and the updated version appeared in 2020. Numerous singles appeared in advance of Claptone’s 2021 full-length Closer, including collaborations with Seal and James Vincent McMorrow. ~ Paul Simpson