Claptone
'Charmer' (Different Recordings)
6/10
He may hide behind a gold Venetian mask with a protruding schnoz, but Berlin's Claptone isn't the shy and retiring type.
His brand of vocal house is imposing but coated in pop, like Hot Chip with the mode constantly set to 'dancefloor'. An instrumental wouldn't go amiss amid these 13 tracks, perhaps, but credit is still due for Claptone's eclectic selection of vocal collaborators.
Notable star turns include Alec Ounsworth of US indie rockers Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on the lazy, acoustic-flecked 'Ghost', while Swedish trio Peter, Bjorn and John crop up on the twisted pop of 'Puppet Theatre'.
'Charmer' might lack the light and shade of a great album, but it does have crossover potential.
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