Austin downtempo artist Claude9 debuts chilled 'Chords of Love' album, plus video for title track

March 29, 2025

Austin-based electronic artist Claude9 (a.k.a. Claude McCan) presents his debut album 'Chords of Love', released via indie imprint New Human Music, as well as a new chilled video for the title track, produced by Manny Dojo. This album offers a unique and largely relaxing sound, with light fractals of Enigma, Jean-Michel Jarre, Boards of Canada, Tangerine Dream, Air and Kruder & Dorfmeister. Two tracks also feature the unmistakable talent of Jorja Chalmers (Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Italians Do It Better), whose saxophone brings intensity and emotional resonance.

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

Weaving together ambient and downtempo electronica, 'Chords of Love' offers a seamless listening experience with six extended tracks and three shorter interlude pieces that flow effortlessly into one another, creating the feeling of one continuous work. This diverse sonic palette brings in everything from cicada field recordings to lush pads, drones, and a mix of real and synthesized vocals.

With the simple yet profound mantra of “Slow down, relax, and listen”, this is a gateway to a relaxed and healing journey. At the same time, it doesn’t shy away from moments of tension or layers of social commentary, adding depth to its soothing exterior.

“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.

Claude McCan 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, Claude 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.

As of March 28, the 'Chords of Love' album is available from fine music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp.

Austin electronic artist Claude9 shares Jarre-esque 'The Shadow', previewing debut album

March 13, 2025

Austin-based electronic artist Claude9 will soon be releasing his debut album 'Chords of Love' album, out March 28 via indie imprint New Human Music. As part of this synth-based journey, he now shares another gem - 'The Shadow', a Jean-Michel Jarre-eque slice of futuristic wonderment that showcases this relaxing nine-track record.

This new offering arrives on the heels of 'Clouds So Low', a soulful track with chilled feel-good vibes, tastefully blends Enoesque ambient music and downtempo trip-hop. Encapsulating the dreamy, rhythmic energy that defines much of the album Claude9 also offers a sneak-peek of the full album via a mini-live set, shared on video.

Weaving together ambient and downtempo electronica, 'Chords of Love' offers a seamless listening experience with six extended tracks and three shorter interlude pieces that flow effortlessly into one another, creating the feeling of one continuous work. This diverse sonic palette brings in everything from cicada field recordings to lush pads, drones, and a mix of real and synthesized vocals.

With the simple yet profound mantra of “Slow down, relax, and listen”, this is a gateway to a relaxed and healing journey. At the same time, it doesn’t shy away from moments of tension or layers of social commentary, adding depth to its soothing exterior. 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.

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.

'The Shadow' is available exclusively via Bandcamp, where 'Clouds So Low' can also be found - it is also available from fine music platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify. Out March 28, the 'Chords of Love' album is now available for pre-order - it will be released digitally and on vinyl. That same evening, Claude9 will hold his record release party at Stargazer Bar in Austin.

Austin artist Claude9 shares groovy synth-laced single 'Clouds So Low', teasing 'Clouds of Love' album

February 13, 2025

Austin-based electronic-synthpop artist Claude9 presents 'Clouds So Low', the soulful first single from his forthcoming 'Chords of Love' album, slated for release on March 28 via indie imprint New Human Music. This chill feel-good offering tastefully blends Enoesque ambient music and downtempo trip-hop.

Encapsulating the dreamy, rhythmic energy that defines much of the album, 'Clouds So Low' serves as a perfect introduction to this relaxing 9-track sonic journey. Claude9 also offers a newly-recorded mini-live set a sneak-peak of 'Chords of Love'.

"'Clouds So Low' is a funky, breakbeat-driven downtempo track that was inspired by the surreal low-hanging clouds I encountered during a drive to the studio for the song’s first session. Combining vocoder effects with soulful live vocals and melodic lines from my electric melodica, the track offers a playful and atmospheric vibe. With its lighthearted energy, it evokes a sense of wonder, reminiscent of The Orb’s iconic 'Little Fluffy Clouds'," says Claude9.

"This was the first track I began for this album, originally envisioned as a collaborative project with my friend Alec Ash. However, shortly after the first session, COVID hit, and the album evolved into a solo endeavor. The inspiration for this track came from my deep love of downtempo trip-hop acts like Massive Attack and The Orb."

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.

"The lyrics for 'Clouds So Low' were sparked by a vivid moment on my drive to Lockhart, TX, for that initial session. The clouds that day hung incredibly low in the sky, and as I crossed a high overpass, it felt as though they were close enough to touch. I found myself imagining stepping out of the car and walking on them—a whimsical thought that became the core idea for the song," says Claude9.

"I already had the breakbeats I wanted to use, and once I arrived at the studio, the rest of the track came together surprisingly quickly. It turned out almost exactly as I had envisioned, which is a rare occurrence for any artist. The track brings together many of my favorite elements: crisp breakbeats, lush pads, a heavy bass synth, melodica melodies, and a blend of vocoder and “real” vocals."

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.

'Clouds So Low' is out everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. Now available for pre-order, the 'Chords of Love' album will be released - on vinyl and digitally - on March 28.