Claxy Return With “Underwater” on Embassy One
Img Cred: Leo Torres
Germany-based Brazilian duo Claxy return with a new single that feels lived-in rather than rushed, and that backstory matters when you listen to “Underwater,” which dropped back on January 23, 2026 via Embassy One. This is a track that took shape over nearly four years, and you can hear that time inside it, not as excess detail, but as intention. Claxy have always balanced emotional songwriting with club movement, and here that balance leans closer to rhythm and identity than toward spectacle.
What stands out immediately is how rooted the track feels without sounding narrow. “Underwater” connects their Brazilian background with their European club life, and it does so through rhythm first, not branding. The groove carries Maculelê-inspired patterns and funk-leaning percussion, and those elements feel structural rather than decorative. It plays like a record built from movement upward, which makes sense given how the song reached its final form only after Clara Valente added a Portuguese section that reshaped the arrangement.
A Song That Changed When the Language Changed
That Portuguese section acts as more than a translation choice. It marks the emotional hinge of the track. The first half lives inside motion and presence, and then something interrupts that flow. The shift reflects the song’s core idea, which centers on moments when expression gets quietly disrupted by judgment, envy, or unease. Instead of framing that tension abstractly, Claxy tie it back to the body and to rhythm, which gives the message something physical to hold onto.
The production supports that movement without crowding it. Tropical house influence sits next to indie dance structure, and the emotional tone stays consistent even as the rhythm changes shape. There is a sense that this track was allowed to grow into itself rather than being forced toward a fixed version early on. That long writing process reads less like delay and more like refinement, especially in how the vocal phrasing and percussion speak to each other.
Built for Movement Without Losing Meaning
What works well about “Underwater” is that it does not split its purpose. It stays playable while still carrying a clear emotional direction. The mix of English and Portuguese lyrics keeps the song open rather than coded to one audience, and the rhythmic framework gives DJs a track that moves without needing peak-time dramatics.
From a broader perspective, this release feels like a reaffirmation of Claxy’s approach. They continue to treat melody and rhythm as tools for storytelling instead of separating club function from emotional content. That choice keeps their work recognizable without freezing it into a formula.
Released digitally and on streaming platforms on January 23, 2026, “Underwater” arrives as a single that connects their personal background to their current sound without leaning on nostalgia. It moves forward by staying close to its source, and that restraint gives the track more weight than a louder gesture would have.
