Claude VonStroke

Building his notoriety with massive singles such as "Deep Throat" and "Who's Afraid of Detroit?," as well as with the critically-acclaimed 2006 full-length Beware of the Bird, San Francisco, CA's Claude VonStroke has definitely left a mark on minimal techno with his distinctive, playful style. With his new full-length, VonStroke returns with his patented sound and inventiveness. Immediately standing out above the rest, "Vocal Chords" is a glorious choir of layers and layers of arpeggiated voices gliding up and down over numerous octaves, constantly changing in timbre, all over a wonderfully full and forward-moving bass. "Aundy" pokes out over the others as well, perhaps less soaring yet still a compelling listen. Unfortunately, most other tracks on the album cannot sustain this height. While the tracks are all very distinctive, many lack a thread to latch onto, or a hint of surprise. Several also echo sounds from previous releases a bit too closely for some listeners' tastes. Clearly, Claude VonStroke has no shortage of ideas or humour. However, his latest full-length doesn't quite manage to drag you in over and over again.