Chachi Jones is like Ragu for the tech nerd: If it’s electronic, it’s in there. The sounds of Clausterphillia delightfully fly straight from the booming Bay Area electronic movement of DJism, from those beautiful few years just before the millennium when drum machines and rave pants lead us straight into a new, postmodern era—but it’s a lot smarter than that.

He may be just another “bedroom DJ,” but he’s obviously mastered and intellectualized his art form, layering jungle, drum ‘n’ bass, breakbeats, trance, and old-school techno on top of an alternation of eerie, ambient sounds and happy-go-lucky Depeche Mode-esque symphonic melodies. In other words, there is no simple explanation for the way Chachi Jones’ first full-length album, Clausterphillia, will make you feel. It’s experimental but complete, cerebral yet foot-tapping, and frightening while inviting. Released on the Lunaticworks label, this record sounds almost as if Chachi Jones could have teamed up with post-rock guru John McIntyre to stamp his efforts with the name Thrill Jockey (think Tortoise, Trans Am, and Mouse on Mars.) There’s no sing-along here—just late-night sound sessions. If you’re in art school, you won’t take it out of your Discman.

Chachi Jones is like Ragu for the tech nerd: If it’s electronic, it’s in there. The sounds of Clausterphillia delightfully fly straight from the booming Bay Area electronic movement of DJism, from those beautiful few years just before the millennium when drum machines and rave pants lead us straight into a new, postmodern era—but it’s a lot smarter than that.