Extended Play 035: Claptone - Closer

Claptone resurrects the dance floor with an energetic new record, enlisting talent established and new. Closer is an examination of the human experience, each track illuminating the mystery that is Claptone.

‘Golden’ opens the album with such spirited impact, following a more downtempo beat, the hypnotic synth bass and vocals served by Two Another invites the listener onto the addicting voyage that is this record. ‘Feel this Way’ ft Mayer Hawthorne brings a youthful, dancy timbre, paying homage to Claptone’s older sound. ‘My Night’ ft APRE, ‘Fade Away’ ft Spells & Just A Ghost ft Seal closely follow the fun, bright sonic experience. ‘Queen of Ice’ meets us in the middle of the record with a dazzling vocal performance from Dizzy, granting a glimpse into the experiential harmony that grips humanity. The track welcomes itself beautifully with other somber takes including ‘Right Into You’ ft Like Mike & Mansionair, ‘Is This Love’ ft Nathan Nicholson & ‘Beautiful’ ft lau.ra. Lyrically and instrumentally in depth, these tracks settle themselves in the midpoint of the record, building to a lively second half.

Claptone understands dance floor ready influences and effortlessly implants them into the record. ‘Make Love Not War’ ft Nathan Nicholson brings demanding piano hits over a boisterous dance beat with an addicting bass groove. ‘Zero’ carries the torch with techno licks over a vivid vocal performance, mesmerising the listener with the driving beat.

The last two songs of the record equip the listener with a brilliant closing experience. ‘Satellite’ ft. Peter Bjorn & John utilises engaging vocals over a zestful beat, bringing forward guitar hits and demanding percussion, highlighting the vocals to drive home a dance centred experience. ‘Nobody’ ft Barry Manilow closes the record with a playful harmony of uplifting piano hits and vocals. Standing as the last track, it certainly finishes our experience with a bang.

Claptone brings together talent both old and new to create a lusciously energetic experience, celebrating humanity and their emotions. Closer showcases his peerless artistry, making it the best entry in his career so far.