News

Seal - one of the most iconic singers of our generation collaborates with the Claptone on new release ‘Just A Ghost’, which is out now.

Continuing his collaborative theme with new album ‘Closer’, Claptone aligns with the unmistakable voice of ‘Killer’ and ‘Crazy’, showcasing Seal’s first new work in 6 years.

‘Just a Ghost’ is a fluid and dreamy production layered with the classic, instantly identifiable velvet vocal which hooks you in and has you sing along before you know it. Building to a crescendo but maintaining the emotion throughout, ‘Just A Ghost’ is a big song fitting perfectly for late summer festivals and your favourite playlist at the same time.

Seal needs little introduction, he is the internationally respected singer-songwriter and record producer, best known for his songs ‘Killer’, ‘Crazy’ and ‘Kiss From A Rose’ which featured on the blockbuster movie ‘Batman Returns’. Having won multiple awards, including three Brits, four Grammy’s, two Ivor Novello‘s and an MTV Video Music Award he is one of the leading artists of our time.

"The deep sensuality in Seal's voice has always kept me under its spell, and of course the mystique around his persona. No doubt the stars aligned when Seal and I were working on 'Just A Ghost’ - his first original material in 6 years. By introducing him to the deep, emotive and powerful sound of Claptone my aim was to lead him back to his very own roots, to an electronic club infused but soulful sound. And I needed to do that without sacrificing the strong musical identity he built for himself over the past decades”. - Claptone.

Watch the official 'Just A Ghost Video' now.

 

Claptone produces a warm, bass-infused piano house update of Faithless ‘Innadadance’ ft Soul II Soul’s Jazzie B & Suli Breaks - the third single to be taken from the acclaimed Faithless ‘All Blessed’ album. Claptone's uplifting, twisted, reworking is the ideal summer soundtrack for the return to clubbing!

The Claptone remix will also appear on the special Digital Deluxe edition of ‘All Blessed’, released on 6 August which features the original album, plus remixes from world-renowned electronic producers including Maceo Plex, Yotto, Alok, Cristoph, Paul Woolford, Meduza, Patrice Bäumel, and Faithless’s Sister Bliss.

On the Claptone remix, Faithless said: “Bringing us straight back onto the dancefloor with a flourish German maestro Claptone bring us a warm piano-infused house interpretation of ‘Innadadance’. Soul II Soul legend Jazzie B’s vocals intoning over a kinetic fat bassline, joined by Suli Breaks impassioned poetry and a driving groove propel it to an ecstatic euphoric peak.”

Claptone said: "It was an absolute honour to have been asked to remix one of the few legendary club music pioneers still writing and producing strong music to date. I feel especially flattered, after I already put my hands on their ‘Bombs’ in 2015 which is one of my personal favourites. But maybe this one turned out even better? Just listen, it’s right there ‘InnadAdance’ and it’s only together, so let’s get back on the dancefloor.”

‘Innadadance’ is the third single to be taken from Faithless ‘All Blessed’, their first studio LP in 10 years, out now on BMG and winning rave reviews from press and fans alike. Featuring in several Best Albums Of 2020 lists, ‘All Blessed’ charted at No.6 in the Official Album Chart and No.1 in the Dance Album Chart and No.1 in the Independent Album Chart.

Listen to Claptone's ‘Innadadance’ remix now.

On Saturday July 25 and Sunday July 26, Tomorrowland's 'Around the World' digital festival took place: a spectacular entertainment experience open to people of all ages and places, unfazed by borders or boundaries – a world premiere and a major step in the future of digital music festivals.

You can now re-watch Claptone's set in full here.

 

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW

Claptone announces his new and forthcoming third studio album, Closer. Set for release on Nov 12th, 2021 via Different Recordings / PIAS, the album will feature a string of collaborators and pop icons including Barry Manilow, Seal, James Vincent McMorrow and many more.

Closer has been in the making for over three years and showcases a natural development in sound for Claptone. The album has been co-produced by Stuart Price, the three-time Grammy-winning electronic musician, DJ, songwriter, and record producer known for his work with artists such as Madonna, The Killers, Dua Lipa and Pet Shop Boys. The aptly titled album is the next phase of the enigmatic artist’s musical evolution following the 2018 LP, Fantast and the 2015 debut, Charmer.

“Closer is about the joy and sometimes the pain of being human. It’s an ode to togetherness as well as empowerment, to heartache as well as bliss. I celebrate emotions. I allow myself to get closer to human beings and be human on the quest for my soul. Charmer was merely an introduction from a mystic being coming out of the shadows. On Fantast, I tried to find my roots in nature, and it was more of an escapist album, whereas Closer embraces people and the universe inside them.” – Claptone

Joining Claptone on his mission to embrace people, the album features a host of global collaborators. Peter Bjorn and John take centre stage on Satellite, with Seal providing original vocals on Just A Ghost. The album balances both iconic names with established artists and exciting new talent as Claptone enlists Mayer Hawthorne, Mansionair, APRE, Dizzy, SPELLES, Lau.Ra, Two Another and long-time Claptone collaborator, Nathan Nicholson, ex-singer of The Boxer Rebellion.

Closer also features a surprise and intriguing pairing between Claptone and American pop icon and showman, Barry Manilow. A further exhibition of Claptone’s critical acclaim which spans across the realms of the underground to Pop Music, the collaboration took flight when Claptone noticed Barry Manilow taking part in a TV interview where he mentioned that his favourite act was “Some guy named Claptone”. “So, I hit him up. He was like, ‘let’s do something’!” Manilow (whose career spans 50 years with hits such as Mandy and Copacabana) said “he was looking for a Dusty Springfield/Pet Shop Boys moment”. That moment has now arrived, with Barry Manilow featuring on standout album track, Nobody.

“I am a perfectionist full stop. I wrote those songs and I love those songs. And I am very happy with the outcome. Here is so much substance. I love to work with unique voices, unique characters. This pushes me to deliver the best in production as well.” – Claptone

The announcement of Closer follows the release of album singles Zero, Golden feat. Two Another, My Night feat. APRE and the latest single Wake Up feat. James Vincent McMorrow, which were unveiled earlier this year, offering a first glimpse of the anticipated LP.

Clubs have finally reopened around the world, so what better time for Claptone to release three different remixes of his latest collaboration with singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow. Claptone has chosen to entrust these remixes to three high-quality producers:

Paul Woolford is the first remixer, the British dance music producer from Leeds who needs no introduction. His remix is ​​an absolute masterpiece; Paul managed to combine the sound of the vocal perfectly with the piano stab and all the other sounds present in the cut.

Following up an artist originally from Naples, the city on the slopes of Vesuvius Riva Starr. The 'Snatch Records' owner delighted us with a remix full of gems with his unmistakable style. The heart of the track is the piano stab which, together with the vocal, the powerful snares and the 909 Kick, give us a Tech House hit.

The last rework is from the experienced DJ's and producers from Mexico, Tom & Collins. Their remix comes with a very powerful and deep bassline, a very complex and harmonious rhythm part. The use of the melodic sound is sensational, and the vocals blend perfectly in the remix context.

'Wake Up Remixes' also marks the announcement of Claptone’s 3rd Studio album CLOSER, set for release on 12th November.

Claptone is back shake-up the dancefloor with his brand new single Wake Up. The House and Garage-layered inspired track which features the husky and soulful vocals of Platinum selling singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow.

“Let Wake Up conquer your heart with intensely deep and honest lyrics on a bed of garage bass with a side of powerful uplifting piano stabs. There’s a yearning deeply rooted in too many months of isolation, an emotional congestion that erupts on the dancefloor of the first festival after far too long. James Vincent McMorrow's wonderfully soft, husky soul voice on this piece of vintage 90s pop house evokes moments of happiness and melancholia at the same time.” – Claptone

STREAM + DOWNLOAD HERE

“Wake Up” also marks the announcement of Claptone’s 3rd Studio album CLOSER, set for release on 12th November, 2021.

Claptone's latest single 'My Night' feat. APRE gets the special remix treatment from some carefully curated and highly respected names, Myd, Ferreck Dawn and Picard Brothers who have reworked the release in their own signature styles.

With the Myd remix you will find it full of relentless pace, with a heavy analogue kick drum and cowbel, floating gentle synths and a huge focus on the vocals. This is a brilliant simple, stripped down and super effective version. Myd is an artist that is on the up, super creative, larger than life multi-instrumentalist and pioneer of club culture as part of Club Cheval. He has produced for SCH and Kanye West and is now part of the infamous ED Banger records family.

The Ferreck Dawn remix conversely sits in Claptone’s underground world, driving and main room, with big builds and tension releasing drops. The feel is bouncy and Housey, with piano stabs that build and build into a long and tension building drop. It’s fun and energetic and a great DJ weapon in true Ferreck style. Already an accomplished producer and DJ with the best part of 20 years’ experience on the international scene, he is supported by a wave of DJs that include Carl Cox, Luciano and Nic Fanciulli. He recently caught great hype with his vocal house stomper 'In My Arms' becoming a sure-fire dance anthem.

French filtered Disco - this is what you get from the Picard Brothers, having worked with the biggest artists in the world including Beyonce, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson, Major Lazer and Rudimental. Here they deliver a little of the French Touch, classic sounding disco house but still super contemporary. Driving disco style beats, funky guitar licks and those famous French filters throughout.

This new remix package follows original Claptone singles My Night (original) Golden’ and ‘Zero’ and freshly released remixes on Storm Queen’s ‘For A Fool’ and Trans-X ‘Living On Video’ as well as reworks for pop superstars Ava Max, Dua Lipa, Michael Kiwanuka and Mark Ronson.

Claptone ft. APRE ‘My Night’ (remixes) are out now and available for stream + download here. 

Claptone Collaborates With Alt / Electronic Indie Duo APRE On Anthemic Single ‘My Night’

Listen / watch here

Just turn on ‘My Night’ and - bam - you'll be hit by a confetti-cannon of fun. As Claptone puts it: “If I had a surfboard this is one [track] I’d instinctively develop a desire to catch a wave to. It’s one of those that you instantly wanna listen to again after it ends and again after it ends and so on. I really love it with all of my heart.” “My Night” is co-produced with the almighty Stuart Price and has everything a proper hit requires, it’s sticky like superglue, and only slightly less addictive than a Netflix binge.

It’s no wonder Claptone is 'really excited about working on this one with extremely talented UK Indie Pop duo APRE contributing their energetic vocals. If one can believe their bio - and I always do - they are inspired by the socially conscious observational lyricism as alternative indie. Add the smell of early summer, a pinch of French house and Claptone of course and you got ‘My Night’.

Setting the scene perfectly APRE and Claptone shout out to all those who’ve had a night out ruined by a close friend or loved one, who they ultimately feel responsible for. Invoking memories of messy nights and bleary mornings.

‘I was thinking about the theme of the song it brought me back to a night out I had in a club in Manchester that went so very wrong. I decided I wanted this song to be for all those people who were trying to have a good night out, which was then completely ruined by their friend or partner.’ –
Charlie (APRE)

‘My Night’ is simultaneously released with the cult movie inspired official video. Think 80s styling with a heavy dose of feelgood nostalgia throughout. The video follows two teenagers finding a secret underground dancefloor and a place where they can show off their BMX skills. Directed by Keith Musil who has previously worked with Fox, Universal, Interscope, Warner Bros, Vice and GQ TV amongst many others.

This new release follows original singles Golden’ and ‘Zero’ and freshly released remixes on Storm Queen’s ‘For A Fool’ and Trans-X ‘Living On Video’ as well as reworks for pop superstars Ava Max, Dua Lipa, Michael Kiwanuka and Mark Ronson.

Even not being able to tour has not slowed him down, continuing his worldwide visability, he has now performed on over 50+ livestreamed sets across 2020/21, with a staggering total of 63 Million combined views on YouTube. There are also plans ahead to return the most famous club in the world Pacha Ibiza with his now internationally renowned show ‘The Masquerade’, signifying that this year there is still much, much more to come.