Much of the press leading up to the release of Barclay Crenshaw's third album under the Claude von Stroke moniker (the last, Bird Brain, dropped in 2009) has concentrated on his rediscovery of his little-known drum & bass roots, and his flirtation with footwork-influenced rhythms. While you can certainly hear these influences - check the pared-down synth melodies and skittering 808 rhythms of "The Bridge" and the jungle revival of "Oakland Rope" - Urban Animal is about a lot more than that. Its influences are many and varied - deep house, UK garage, crunk, P-funk, even organ-heavy funk (see "The Clapping Track") - giving it a rounded, "proper dance album" feel. It's also arguably Crenshaw's strongest set to date.
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