I keep expecting Berlin's Claptone to be as grime/dark as Perturbator or Gost. But the dude just is not willing to go down the urban-industrial, witchy-wasteland route with his dance music. And I respect that. I respect his defiance of my expectations, and for a guy who dresses like he is headed to the steam-punk-themed after-party at a Renaissance Faire, he is steadfastly committed to cultivating a seriously epic sense of marvel in the listener without a hint of kitsch or pretense. Instead of Carpenter-esque synths whines, you get slick, funk guitar loops. Instead of brutalizing bass, you get pristine, airy toms. In the place of dread, there is wonder. Where there is a space where pain could fester, you will only find relief. Claptone has released three LPs so far (two since I became aware of him), and so far 2018's
Fantast is my favorite. I like the acid house revival he is going for on 2021's Closer, but the blend of deep house and pop-soul on
Fantast is just undeniably more cohesive. This is despite, the dreamy escapist vibe to the whole affair. There is definitely a lot of pretty party-ready mood music on the album but if you are looking for substance and introspection he's got a little bit of that in store for you as well. Incidentally, Claptone has a penchant for roping indie artists into his project. This is not normally a sales point for me, but I really like what he does with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on the track “Animal” which is both relentless snapping and unfailing in its ability to engender intrigue. I'm also a big fan of the calm and reflective pocket of pure oxygen which is "Birdsong" and the cosmic disco purfling of the Chic-sauced dish "Stronger." Despite whatever flaw in my own brain that causes me to project an aura of foreboding onto its creator, I readily admit that this album's sense of awe is inspiring. Give in to your desire to move with
Fantast. It is what it claims to be: Fantastic.
Fantast is out on PIAS
