Claptone is a German DJ and producer duo which specializes in

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

and

tech house Tech house is a subgenre of house music that combines stylistic features of techno with house. The term ''tech house'' developed as a shorthand record store name for a category of electronic dance music that combined musical aspects of techno ...

genres. They are recognizable by their plague doctor-style golden masks, which serve to intrigue the public as well as keeping their identities hidden. It was widely believed that Claptone is a single person, but after the public realized that Claptone often performed at three venues at once, the rumor started to spread that Claptone was three individuals. Claptone has performed at iconic venues including Hï Ibiza (formally

Space Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider ...

), Pacha and

Tomorrowland Tomorrowland is one of the many themed lands featured at all of the Magic Kingdom styled Disney theme parks around the world owned or licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Each version of the land is different and features numerous attractions t ...

Life and career

Claptone gained recognition in 2013 with the song "No Eyes" featuring JAW, from the electronic act dOP. He has released albums ''Charmer'' in 2015 on

Different Recordings Different Recordings is an electronic music label owned by the PIAS, an international independent music company. After a three year hiatus, the label returned in 2015 with a family of new signings from Claptone, Anna of the North, Vessels, KLLO ...

and ''The Masquerade Mixes'' in 2017. In 2015, ''

Mixmag ''Mixmag'' is a British electronic dance and clubbing magazine published in London. Launched in 1983 as a print magazine, it has branched into dance events, including festivals and club nights. History The first issue of ''Mixmag'' was prin ...

'' described Claptone as “one of the most visible characters in the global deep house scene” and his music as “crisply produced and effortlessly infectious”. He has collaborated with a number of indie bands and singer-songwriters. ''Charmer'' included vocals from

Peter Bjorn and John Peter Bjorn and John are a Swedish indie pop/rock band formed in Stockholm in 1999, named after the first names of the band's members: Peter Morén (vocals, guitar and harmonica), Björn Yttling (bass guitar, keyboards and vocals) and John Eriks ...

, JAW,

Jay-Jay Johanson Jäje Johansson (born 11 October 1968), better known by his stage name Jay-Jay Johanson, is a Swedish-British singer-songwriter, known for his melancholic vocals. His music has integrated the trip hop genre until he switched his sound to a more ...

, and

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, the Boxer Insurrection, or the Yihetuan Movement, was an anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising in China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by ...

's Nathan Nicholson, among others. ''Mixmag'' notes that Claptone's remix of

Gregory Porter Gregory Porter (born November 4, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He has twice won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album: first in 2014 for ''Liquid Spirit'' and then again in 2017 for ''Take Me to the Alley''. Early li ...

's ''Liquid Spirit'' from the eponymous album “has become a Beatport bestseller and one of the biggest tunes of the year” (2015). In April 2016 Claptone performed as Claptone IMMORTAL, the 2 DJ performance. Claptone has since played a Europe version and American version of the performance; the tomorrow land persona being drastically different than the exchange LA Version. According to the online jazz magazine ''The Jazz Line'', the Claptone remix was in part responsible for the Porter's album success. The album achieved Gold status in the UK after the Claptone remix debuted on the ''

Essential Mix The ''Essential Mix'' is a weekly radio show on BBC Radio 1 currently broadcast between 0:00 and 2:00 a.m. UK time on Saturday morning. Originally broadcast on 30 October 1993, the ''Essential Mix'' features contemporary DJs and music producer ...

'' of

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

and then topped the Beatport chart, prompting dance music lovers to seek out Porter's original recording. Claptone's usual attire includes a golden beaked mask, similar to the

Plague Doctor A plague doctor was a physician who treated victims of bubonic plague during epidemics mainly in the 16th and 17th centuries. These physicians were hired by cities to treat infected patients regardless of income, especially the poor that could not ...

, and white gloves, so his identity remains a mystery. Little is known about Claptone's background apart from the fact that the act is based in Berlin. According to the web site ''Warp.la'', the act is in fact two people, who sometimes perform together.

Discography

Albums

* ''Charmer'' (2015) * ''The Masquerade'' (2016) * ''Fantast'' (2018) * ''Closer'' (2021)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Claptone Living people German record producers German DJs Masked musicians German electronic musicians German house musicians Electronic dance music DJs Year of birth missing (living people)