Claptone’s Debut Album “Charmer” Lives Up To It’s Name

Claptone has rose to fame over the past year on the back of his chunky, funky pop-infused vocal house cuts, such as “When The Night Is Over,” “Dear Life,” and his remix of Gregory Porter’s track “Liquid Spirit.” Over that span of time, Claptone became one of my favorite artists to keep up with, and his musical style seemed to mirror what my ears where seeking in electronic music. So when Berlin’s only beaked mask-wearing producer dropped his album on October 19th, I was pretty excited to dig in.

The album features several previously released tracks, “Dear Life,” “Puppet Theatre,” and “Ghost” among them, so I skipped over those familiar foes. Every single cut on the album features some cameo vocals, and an instrumental track or two would have been a welcome addition. Besides the cheesy opening song “The Only Thing” and the misplaced track “Your Body (In The Rain),” the album lives up to it’s name. It charms you, it moves you when it wants to, and it features Claptone’s signature funky, bouncing house beats. Those soulful grooves shine the brightest on tracks “Anything” and “Party Girl.”

The sultry, deep house burner “I Write Your Name” might grow into my favorite cut from the album, perfectly capturing the pure, dripping sexiness of house music. Indie rockers Peter, Bjorn and John lend their voice to the twisted pop of “Puppet Theatre,” right in time for Halloweens eerie vibe.

Claptone didn’t create a genre defining or mind-blowing album, yet it’s one that expands upon his signature sound while teasing at some mainstream crossover potential. The radio could use some Claptone amidst all the noise.

Click it here to watch a replay of Claptone’s album launch party from the W-Hotel Amsterdam. Fast forward to around 1:35 :00 for Claptone’s set.