Claptone

House music began humbly, with no-frills gear, dark clubs and producers hiding behind shadowy aliases. Nearly three decades later, as the style begat high-tech stage productions and pop crossovers, Claptone channelled the essence of house by staying true to its fundamental sense of mystery. The anonymous Berlin project (believed to be a duo, though represented by one figure on stage at any given time, always masked by a golden plague-doctor beak) got its start in the early 2010s with a series of stripped-down DJ edits. It hit its stride with 2013’s “No Eyes”, pairing the sultry vocals of French singer Jaw with a ruminative deep-house groove. In the years since, it’s found its seductive signature in the fusion of dusky keys, powerful basslines and wistful vocals from acts like Peter Bjorn and John, Gregory Porter, and Alison Goldfrapp. Claptone’s distinctive sound is just as apt for nursing wounds as filling floors; whoever’s behind the boards, there’s no mistaking the depth of their feeling.