If you checked 2022’s Lagu Loops LP from American-crate-digger-living-in-China Nathan Womack, you’ll be aware he’s a man who knows exactly how to fuse Far Eastern sounds into his beatmaking. On new single Song Of The White Crane, he re-imagines Far Eastern 70s movie scores slowed down to hip-hop speed in a track that’s also an elegant tribute to the culturally significant white crane. This one features flute by Joel Ricci of Lucky Brown/ Soul’s Path Ensemble and teases the sonic direction of Womack’s next album. Flip the single over and you get Soul Prop – a more uptempo affair but similarly evocative of Far Eastern movie scores (though more obviously Chinese ones this time) on which Womack himself plays synth bass and Japanese shaker amid a slew of samples. The vinyl release comes with a custom hand-sewn, hand-printed fabric outer sleeve to go around the standard inner sleeve too! What’s not to like?
(Out now on Wax Thematique)
