Claude VonStroke, the iconic architect of North America’s underground dance music community, makes a long-anticipated return with the release of his new EP, I Was The Wolf. He also launches his “Life of Leisure” tour—both kicking off on April 25 at New York City’s Knockdown Center.
After selling his Dirtybird brand and stepping away from the spotlight for two years, VonStroke is back with a renewed sense of creative freedom. His latest work reflects this evolution. I Was The Wolf offers a darker, cinematic approach to his signature style. It balances Berlin-influenced minimal grooves with the sly, quirky atmosphere fans have come to love. The A-side, I Was The Wolf, taps into raw, moody expression. The B-side, Move With The Pack, wraps listeners in jazzy, immersive textures. It’s a bold, genre-blurring return from a producer who refuses to stand still.
My little brother Alex used to call me garage boy because I would lock myself in the garage for 12-14 hours at a time and never come out while I was tinkering with samplers and drum machines. We didn’t even have grounded electricity back then in the garage, so if you touched the metal sampler for too long with your bare hand, it started to tingle. This is probably what happened to my brain as well
CLAUDE VONSTROKE
The release party in New York marks the beginning of a carefully curated global tour, one that reflects VonStroke’s new ethos. He’s chosen venues with personal significance. It ranges from favorite clubs like CODA in Toronto and Space in Miami to major festivals like Lightning in a Bottle, Movement, and Osheaga. International stops are also planned, including nights at London’s KOKO and Berlin’s Panorama Bar.
The A-side of my new record is called ‘I Was the Wolf. I used a lot of my analog gear for this track, especially the most unusual synth I own, called the Dreabox Murmux. Only 300 were made, and it is capable of a very quirky, creepy sound palette. (It’s just a bit off but in the right way.) I’ve been using hardware equipment since I was 11, trying to splice cassette tapes to make overdubs, and that garage boy has returned! I’m nerding out in the studio, except I can now touch the synths without the electro-shock therapy
I Was The Wolf will be available on all major streaming platforms on April 25, 2025. Pre-save here. To purchase tickets for the “Life of Leisure” tour, visit here.