Dirty Bird Records boss-man Claude VonStroke has released a brand new album and it’s a little different than what you might be used to.

The U.S producer has released a self-titled, hip-hop project under his birth name Barclay Crenshaw, something that has been in the works for a little while now, but still has fans quite surprised. Myself included.

The 10-track album sees Crenshaw work with a handful of hip-hop heads including NY duo The Underachievers, The Cool Kids and the eclectic beat-smith Mr. Carmack. Despite building his name in the house music scene, Crenshaw definitely showcases some versatility on this project, with a bass driven, laid-back approach that gives off a J Dilla-meets-Flying Lotus vibe.

Claude will be gracing our shores down under in the very near future, heading down for Babylon Festival in Victoria as well as Fallout 3.0 in Sydney. Both shows will certainly see him tap into his usual vibe but maybe he’ll give us all a taste of his new hip-hop hankering as well?

For now, have a listen to the album in full below. Did Claude hit the hip-hop mark on this one?