Subgenres
Deep House Artists
Jazz chords, soul and space. The emotional side of house, born in Chicago in the mid-1980s.
01
The story
What is deep house?
Deep house goes back to Larry Heard. As Mr. Fingers, his tracks “Mystery of Love” and “Can You Feel It” added jazz chords, warm pads and feeling to the drum-machine sound of early Chicago house.
Since then it has run through New Jersey (Kerri Chandler), Detroit (Moodymann, Theo Parrish) and South Africa (Black Coffee), and it usually sits a touch slower than peak-time house.
How it sounds
- Usually about 118–124 BPM
- Jazz and soul chords, Rhodes and pads
- Round, melodic basslines
- Vocals used sparingly, often as texture
02
Listen
Start here
- Can You Feel It
- Mystery of Love
- Rain
- Superman
03
Artists
Deep House artists to know
Larry Heard
Mr. Fingers. The man who made house music deep, with “Can You Feel It” and “Mystery of Love”.
Kerri Chandler
New Jersey’s deep house lifer. Basslines you feel in your chest, from the early 1990s to now.
Black Coffee
South Africa’s biggest house export. Grammy winner, Soulistic Music founder, and the reason the world turned to Afro house.
04
More lanes
Other subgenres
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FAQ
Questions people ask
Who invented deep house?
Larry Heard, recording as Mr. Fingers in mid-1980s Chicago, is widely credited.
Is deep house slower than house?
Often, yes: deep house usually sits around 118–124 BPM.
Sources: Wikipedia: Deep house. Facts checked October 2026. Spot something wrong? Tell us.