Lang Father has spent much of his career behind the scenes, composing, producing and working with the likes of Timbaland. But on his latest EP for WeLoFi, the Berlin-based artist is getting stuck into something a little different, drawing on a longstanding love of underground house, with Moodymann and Theo Parrish looming large over proceedings.
And you can hear it. I (Junkyard Dog) opens with a sample from Tarantino’s Jackie Brown, before twisting off into a strange, hypnotic little world of its own. The drums shuffle and stumble around, sounding at times like they’re about to fall apart, while a thick bassline and chopped vocal fragments hold everything together. It’s scruffy, slightly wonky and all the better for it.
It reminds me of those house records you’d stumble across in a second-hand shop, pull out because the sleeve looked interesting, and end up playing to death. There’s something a bit grubby and unpredictable about it, like it was knocked together at four in the morning in a room full of old records, cigarette smoke and malfunctioning equipment. The drums are practically tripping over themselves, but somehow it all works. I love house music that sounds like it might collapse under its own weight, and this gets pretty close.
Runnin’ follows a similar path, keeping things warm, dusty and soulful. Again, the production favours feel over precision, with the different elements rubbing up against each other rather than slotting neatly into place. It’s perhaps less immediately memorable than the title track, but there’s a lovely looseness to it.
Neither track is breaking much new ground, and the Detroit influences are worn pretty openly. But Lang Father clearly understands what makes this music work. Too much contemporary deep house is so polished and painstakingly arranged that it ends up sounding completely lifeless. There’s none of that here.
Two tracks, plenty of character, and just enough rough edges to keep things interesting. I (Junkyard Dog) is the stronger of the pair, but together they make a convincing case for Lang Father’s continued adventures in house music.
