Overlooked: Larry Heard
Larry Heard needs no formal introductions – his music under various names spans the best part of four decades. Better known as Mr. Fingers, anyone remotely aware of the word 'house' will have stumbled upon Can You Feel It? or What About This Love at some point or another, be it in a proper club setting or on some late night YouTube voyage.
Yet the Chicago house originator’s back catalogue is one so vast, that it would require days of dedicated listening to get through. There are tonnes of slightly less obvious records he’s produced that may well have slipped the net, which is why we’ve done it all for you.
Of the rest, here are five of the best. Heard experts turn away now.
Starting from the top, this track sums up basically everything Heard’s music is about. Groove and repetition; delicate, melancholic synth work – the supreme producer swiftly locks you into a hypnotic bass line and furnishes it with enough 808s to keep things moving. Released on the plainly named Dance Tracs EP, this essential is a dreamy ride from start to end.
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Disco - D – Beat ItStarting from the top, this track sums up basically everything Heard’s music is about. Groove and repetition; delicate, melancholic synth work – the supreme producer swiftly locks you into a hypnotic bass line and furnishes it with enough 808s to keep things moving. Released on the plainly named Dance Tracs EP, this essential is a dreamy ride from start to end.
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The Gherkin Jerks - Space DanceOf the two records Heard made under this amusing alias, this track certainly stands out. The Chicago man delves deeply into near-techno territory across the EPs, however this slice of house serves as great starting point. Simplicity is definitely the key here – just two main chords and an infinite intergalactic journey.
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Fingers Inc. - I'M Strong(Instrumental)A large proportion of Heard’s best music is on a more downbeat, melodic tip. But make no mistake, he can do heads down dancefloor business too – as demonstrated with this powerful instrumental bomb. Like the savage cousin of Robert Owens’ original, this darker, more processed take would leave any club completely devastated.
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Larry Heard - Black OceansNo doubt one of his best nineties efforts – the gliding pads in this track just melt away during eight or so minutes. If there was ever proof that Heard is a master of the memorable, just marvel at how the relentless theme plays out again and again, not once boring the hell out of anyone. Well, that obviously depends on how many times you want to hear it. Consider that a challenge.
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Larry Heard - Missing You (Instrumental)As this forlorn house classic is pretty well known, it shouldn’t really make this list. However, we can grant an exception on the basis that it was made a lot later than the rest of the mercurial producer’s best work, and both the instrumental and vocal versions are killer. Plus, it’s just an eternal record – simple as.
