December: 15 house releases you need to hear this month

Claptone 'The Masquerade' (Defected)

A lot of mystery follows Claptone thanks to masked performances in Ibiza and beyond, but this impassioned mix is proof of time served in the booth. What could have been filled with Claptone singles such as ‘No Eyes’ and ‘The Only Thing’ instead opts for club-ready cuts from Purple Disco Machine, Riva Starr and Subb-an – plus that timeless Gregory Porter re-rub, the Planet Rock and New Order reworks and various other secret weapons like the Claptone unification of Ultra Nate and Roland Clark; there’s also an adept use of the piana-pella of ‘Wrong’ which has been slung over the top of Raumakustik’s ‘Raider’ to great effect. The day mix CD will get you in the mood to go out, while the night mix soundtracks a party we want to go to.

9/10