SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: CLAUDE9 – CHORDS OF LOVE

CLAUDE9 – CHORDS OF LOVE

A SPILL EXCLUSIVE ALBUM PREMIERE

With Austin being one of America’s music capitals, it comes as no surprise that the city would be overflowing with good music that makes its way beyond borders. Today we have the pleasure of introducing one of the homegrown talents emerging from this Texan music hub, honed after several decades on the local scene – namely electronic artist Claude9.

A largely downtempo chilled collection of tracks that seamlessly weave together, Chords of Love happens to be his debut album, released via Texan imprint New Human Music. With influences including such a wide array as The Orb, Massive Attack, Augustus Pablo, Leftfield, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Brian Eno, Cluster, Kruder & Dorfmeister, it’s no wonder we find a rich fabric of layered synth and vocals with perfectly arranged spaciousness within this music.

Two tracks are also graced by the unmistakable talent of Jorja Chalmers (Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Italians Do It Better), whose saxophone elevates the intensity and emotional resonance of this project. This album brings a unique and largely relaxing sound, with light fractals of Enigma, Jean-Michel Jarre, Boards of Canada, Tangerine Dream, Air and Kruder & Dorfmeister.

Like a slow-motion dream, sonic landscapes unfold on Chords of Love – its tapestry woven from intricate analogue threads and an immersive, yet minimalistic architectural space. With a hypnotic quality to its rhythms, these melodies shimmer and fade, leaving behind a lingering sense of serene contemplation. An ideal soundtrack to your chilled evening, your own personal journey into inner space or moments of quiet reverie.

“This album was inspired by a Brian Eno documentary that explored his collaborations with the German ambient artists Cluster. A specific sequence about two albums they worked on together caught my attention, so I bought one and was amazed by its sound—so distinct from Eno’s solo work. The biggest takeaway for me was the idea of giving myself complete freedom in terms of sound, arrangements, and genres, allowing the creative process to unfold without limits. Shortly after I started working on the album, the COVID lockdown hit, which gave me the rare luxury of time to fully immerse myself in experimentation,” explains Claude 9.

“My studio is something of a mad scientist’s playground, and I was able to make the most of that, diving deep into sounds and textures I hadn’t previously explored. I set out to create music that felt fresh and original—something not heard before—but still accessible and engaging to listen to. I think I achieved that balance. The lyrics are sparse, carrying themes of human unity that I wanted to convey. “Chords of Love” and “The Shadow” are both love songs, but their focus differs: the former is universal, while the latter is more personal. The Black Lives Matter movement protests happened the summer I was creating this album, inspiring the closing track “Enough is Enough,” a reflection on those events and my experience in Austin.”

Imbued with dreamy, rhythmic energy, the Chords of Love album blends ambient and downtempo electronica, offering with six extended tracks and three shorter interlude pieces, creating the feeling of one continuous work that makes use of cicada field recordings, lush pads, drones, and a mix of real and synthesized vocals.

Ahead of this release, Claude9 shared the singles “Clouds So Low”, a soulful track with chilled feel-good vibes, tastefully blends Enoesque ambient music and downtempo trip-hop, and “The Shadow”, a slice of futuristic wonderment that showcases this relaxing nine-track record.

“I am fascinated by the interplay of natural and synthetic elements – a recurring theme throughout the album. To capture this contrast, I incorporated field recordings—primarily of cicadas—and layered my own vocals with synthetic ones. These juxtapositions felt authentic to the world I inhabit and fell into place naturally, adding depth and character to the music. This project is a true exploration of sound, emotion, and meaning, blending organic textures with electronic experimentation in a way that feels both innovative and deeply personal.”

Claude9 has been involved in the Austin music scene for several decades, both as a live performer and recording artist. As a keyboard player and singer, he has worked with Reggae acts Pressure, the Killer Bees, and Raggamassive, cutting his teeth to become a sought-after keyboard player. From there, he joined forces with hiphop-funk act Afrofreque, Supercreeps and Hail Marley.

Emerging in the late 90s as one of Austin’s first electronic producers, Claude9 was involved in several well-received House music collaborations in the early 2000s. His background as a live musician brought authenticity to the dub and funk elements in his electronic compositions and, more recently, to his collaboration with Noëlle Hampton (the Belle Sounds) and Ken Christensen (East Coast Boogiemen) in synth pop band XANIMAL.

As a producer at Claude9 Studios, Claude continues to produce and record internationally recognized music in the House and Downtempo genres, while still pushing limits and being an influential member of the ever changing Austin music community.

Chords of Love will be available from fine music platforms, including Bandcamp, Apple Music and Spotify. On March 28, Austin peeps are in luck as Claude9 performs at his record release party at Stargazer Bar.

Credits

Claude9 – Keyboards, real and synthesized vocals, melodica, harmonica
Jorja Chalmers – saxophone on tracks 1 and 9
Recorded at Claude9 Studios (Austin, TX)
Initial session for track 4 at ESH INSTITUTE, Lockhart Tx.
Production assistance by Alec ESH
Mixed and mastered by Charles “Chicky” Reeves at Sublime
Studios London, UK
Album cover design by Fumihito Sugawara / Fumanstudios
Released by New Human Music
Distributed by Xelon Distribution
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Topping this off with some audio-visual delights from the wonderful mind of Claude9:

Claude9
Chords of Love
(New Human Music)
Release Date: March 28, 2025

Artist Links

Photo Credits: Mark Guerra