Barclay Crenshaw selects 11 hip hop tracks

Each week, Mixmag invites the world's most revered artists to bring us an Apple Music playlist, hand-selected by them and curated especially for your listening pleasure.

You might know him more commonly as Claude VonStroke, but more recently, the San Francisco native and Dirtybird head honcho has put aside his leading title to make way for his newly established musical persona that flies under his own, real name: Barclay Crenshaw.

In October, the celebrated producer debuted his first track under his "new" name, Barclay Crenshaw, a separate musical profile from his VonStroke moniker to explore and output hip-hop-tipped and old school inspired original tunes.

Followers and members of his Dirtybird clan be warned, though - music you'll hear from Barclay Crenshaw is a far cry and lane jump away from his bumping "booty house" sound. However, fueled by his own personal love of the diverse exchange of genres, it's likely going to be an exciting new project for Crenshaw as we know him.

His follow-up single to 'Sleepy Kids' arrives this Friday and he slates a full-length album due out in early 2017.

In the meantime, explore and nestle into a swanky list of tunes hand-picked from the maestro himself, below.

Valerie Lee is Mixmag's US Digital Editor. Follow her on Twitter here

Tennyson 'Lay-By'

What a beautiful progression of sounds and keys. He made it so well that you never even wait to hear a vocal - it doesn’t need one.

Flatbush Zombies 'Trade Off'

I love the hook and the chill vibe on this track. It's one of those tracks I keep rerouting in my head around the house all the time.

Deebs 'Realize'

This has to be my favorite tune. I know it's from 015, but this thing fills me up with energy... It's total euphoria with some crafty production techniques like making a really mid-range, almost cluttered, mix and then dropping into an icy clean mix of sounds with the same melody.

Adam Vida & Mr Carmack 'I'm Juiced'

Right now, Mr Carmack is on a hot streak of amazing work. This one could make mainstream radio. It's fun and dope at the same time. Check the Carmack collab coming later on my album... West Coast vibes.

De La Soul 'Nosed Up'

You know when De La comes out, we have to pay attention. 'Nosed Up' has got the funkiest beat on the album which is full of cool, risky and adventurous jams.

Salva 'Drop That Bitch' (Instrumental)

The modern play on NWA’s South Central classic. Everyone flips when this little top end bell sound starts up and then Salva drops the 808 hammer.

Rapsody 'Hard To Choose'

Don’t sleep on this woman. She is a devastating lyricist. I believe this is produced by one of the best beatsmith’s out there, Ninth Wonder.

Basecamp 'Watch My Back' (Persian Empire Remix)

Wow, the production is so insane on this track I don’t even know where to begin. These guys need to make more tunes! I can’t find anything else by them. Jazzy, thick and juicy.

Roylaston 'Jungle Gone Down' (feat. August Storm) [Kimyan Law Remix]

This is a really cool take on UK Drum 'n Bass. I really like the way it flows and chops apart here and there.

Basenji 'Petals' (feat. Scenic)

Been trying to work this one into one of my sets for a while. I really like the vocal. Someday you will hear me drop this… I promise!

Dimlite 'Sun-Sized Twinkies'

Probably the weirdest song on my list. I’m still trying to figure out how he got this vocoder effect with all the pitch slides. It's so fascinating. And no, I still haven’t figured it out.