EP Review: Joe Goddard – ‘Taking Over’

Joe Goddard is a wizard.

Well, he’s not, he’s just a music producer, but in my eyes he’s a wizard. His new EP Taking Over is a wondrous mix of piano-driven house and just damn good dance music. The former Hot Chip-per is known for his uplifting and upbeat productions, and from the off Taking Over really does exemplify that.

First track ‘Step Together’, a collaborative project with Boris Dlugosch, entrances you from the off. Its sparkling house, mixed with samba style drums and easy vocals, gets you up on the dancefloor within seconds. Joe Goddard may not be as cool as his more underground contemporaries (Gold Panda, George Fitzgerald, Dusky) but he certainly knows how to make good tunes.

The following tune, ‘She Burns’, takes a step away from the usual Goddard productions; darker and sexy as hell, Mara Carlyle’s voice uses the track as its playground, a gentle crescendo taking you to the wailing chorus, whilst marimba rhythms pulsate and snares rasp away.

‘Bassline 12″’ is next on offer from Mr. Goddard and it allows him to show off his tech-house skills. A bit murkier and heavier than the rest of the EP, Goddard still manages to lighten up proceedings with his tribal tendencies, giving the at-first dark track a twist of the tropical.

The EP’s title track, meanwhile, is radio-ready as they come and poised to soundtrack many a summer night’s partying. With a catchy melody and a pleasant intro, Goddard’s soft voice floats over the top. It’s understandable to see why he is so often compared to LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy: the chilled-out disco vibe of nearly all Goddard’s tracks is of a similar ilk to Murphy’s more tender productions. But on the whole Goddard is gentler, less frantic and not afraid to show off his tropical tendencies. An interesting, diverse and well thought-out EP, it’s definitely worth a listen.

The Taking Over EP is available now on Greco-Roman.

– Liz Ward