There are a lot of single-act, one-man electronic operations around at the moment. So how does Lo-Fang (aka Matthew Hemerlein) make himself different? Well he’s classically trained and able to play a lot of different instruments, so along with his soulful voice – a big factor in the appeal of this album – we get unexpected instrumental contributions like the plucking of a violin. In terms of the song content, ‘Boris’ is endearing and suggestive, while ‘When We’re Fire’ crackles with atmosphere. The honeyed tones and violin go together best on ‘#88’, while on ‘Light Year’ it is even possible to hear the ghost of Terence Trent D’Arby’s ‘Sign Your Name’, a parallel which is actually a flattering one to both. Lo-Fang is a bit more soulful than SBTRKT, but he inhabits a similar form of intimacy in his productions, with the added bonus of the classical instrumentation. Well worth seeking out and getting to know.
4 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
