One fifth of Hot Chip, Joe Goddard has been teasing his EP for a little while now, having first snuck out the rather lush 'She Burns' back in May on Soundcloud.
That track maintains much of it's crystalline beauty, Mara Carlyle's vocals wispy and delicate against Goddard's fuzzy melodic tinkering and unpretentious bass work. It's the rest of the material on this that interests me most though, and it's a varied collection of tracks in ambition and focus if not quality...
Taking Over starts with 'Step Together', a collaboration with Boris Dlugosch, who… Is apparently still alive? And thankfully appears to be sens-Moose T. Which is a relief. Dlugosch seemingly gives the track it's Spanish influenced keys whilst Goddard lays down a vocal in his trademark under-stated and bruised fashion... It's enjoyable but undeniably the least interesting thing here.
The title track is more pop than dance, a spectral electronic ballad with gently picked guitar melodies and Goddard's softest possible vocal delivery. It's a beautiful track and it feels surprisingly personal, dealing with the love of the music as it starts to consume you at that moment in a night out when everything comes together… Mind altering substances optional, of course.
Immediately before 'Taking Over' and potentially from the same inspirational source but very different in terms of it's execution is 'Bassline '12'. The most heads-down track on the EP it's a slow building house track with a crescendo of stark metallic keys that expands over nine-minutes to make it the longest track here. Goddard manages to combine a sense of upfront danceability with the sort of melodic and melancholic depth Hot Chip are known for. Goddard's work with Raf Rundall as the 2 Bears was always more about the nightclub than Hot Chip but at times it felt laking in depth in comparison. 'Bassline '12' is a more considered and ultimately stronger offering, suggesting Goddard may have a lot to offer on his own.
Taking Over is out now, available to order on MP3 from Amazon.co.uk [affiliate link]. Stream in full on Spotify: