ROB CHADWICK talks to Wolf+Lamb duo Zev Eisenberg and Gadi Mizrah – heralded as the saviours of the house scene thanks to their re-edits and musicial originality – ahead of their appearance at Geddes’ next No Fit State party in London…
In the heart of New York, there’s an old machine shop that’s built up a reputation for being one of America’s finest clubs. It’s called the Marcy Hotel, and it’s run by Wolf+Lamb, a pair of Brooklyn-born DJs and producers who clearly have an eye for innovation. When they bought the Marcy in 2005, it was a state. Now it’s a world-class electronic music venue, where the dancefloor of the club doubles as their studio. After all their recording equipment gets packed away, Zev Eisenberg and Gadi Mizrahi watch as people dance to the music in the room in which it was produced. And that music – released via the duo’s label Wolf+Lamb digital – has been busy winning over countless DJs since 2005. With the pair’s reputation firmly cemented, we chat to Zev about their early days, music in general and the second installment of No Fit State, where they’ll join Geddes behind the decks…
What’s your musical background and how did you guys come up with the Wolf+Lamb concept?
We’ve got no formal music education, just a deep passion for music and what it can do to people. Gadi grew up in a more musical household with his brother being a DJ and his father a musician. Our concept really came together over time very organically – we didn’t really ever sit down and plan it. As for the name, that’s just our names in Hebrew – we tried to get something going under Zev & Gadi but it just didn’t have the ring to it. The rest is just the story of our lives and more recently the artists that came on board.
Your productions from back in 2007 had more of a techno vibe. Now they’re more housey. What’s your opinion on techno taking a back seat at present?
If you want a theory, I would say we went through some dark times with two disastrous Bush terms and 9/11 – and the often darker nature of techno was very well suited to become the main party music. Now the sun’s shining again, so to speak, and the party’s on. Everyone’s broke, but they’re smiling. What better time for a more uplifting resurgence?
You’ve been regarded as saviours of the ‘monotonous’ house scene. How does that make you guys feel?
I don’t think we’re the saviours of anything since our appeal is somewhat outside of the standard DJ fare. The mood and tempo of our music is mostly not suitable for primetime dancefloors – unless you’re very creative). I see us more as a variety label. We span the slow and sexy side of all the party music genres – house, techno and recently some disco too. All of which have a monotonous side to them.
Do you think critics are right to call the house scene boring?
Critics are right to announce anything they want – it’s what they get paid to do. It’s so subjective though. What are they listening to? Ninety per cent of the shit we filter through each month is boring across all genres.
You’ll be playing along side Murmur frontman Geddes at No Fit State. What can we expect from the show?
The same thing anyone can expect at any of our shows – a shitload of unreleased music woven into a slower more sensual kind of set.
What’s your take on the UK house scene at the moment? Do you like playing over here?
You guys don’t know how lucky you are. The crowds here have been completely open to everything we’ve thrown at them. Playing in the UK allows us to be ourselves and play from the heart with no filter.
Murmur presents No Fit State is at Bar A Bar in Stoke Newington, London, on October 10. Visit www.murmurrecords.com and www.wolflambmusic.com
