Joe Goddard is an extremely busy man. When he’s not recording and touring as part of Hot Chip he can be found moonlighting as one half of The 2 Bears, DJing around the world, and running the cutting edge dance music label, Greco-Roman. Somewhere in-between all that, he’s found time to release a new solo EP titled ‘Gabriel’.
The lead single sees Joe hook up with vocalist Valentina on an irresistible slice of hook laden house. Recalling the likes of Four Tet and Jamie XX, the track and accompanying EP shows us another string to Joe’s already heavy bow. We caught him in a rare quite moment to discuss the EP and his forthcoming album, how he managed to find the unique vocal talents of Valentina and what’s next for Hot Chip and The 2 Bears.
Read more…
Jon Davies Interviews Joe Goddard
While he has also been busy preparing the forthcoming Hot Chip album, Joe Goddard has also produced his first solo effort ‘Harvest Festival’. Released on Greco Roman Records, the label that Joe helps to run and who’ve so far released singles from the likes of Buraka Som Sistema. David E Sugar, Drums Of Death & Grovesnor. Harvest Festival is Goddard’s love letter to dance music, with far less pop leanings than his output with Hot Chip. Vocals are used sparingly in the record, throbbing basslines and warped synth lines are the album’s focal point.
While the album’s title may inspire thoughts of a Neil Young tribute album, this is far from the truth. When collecting together these tracks for the album, some of which were fairly old, Joe Goddard was reminded of the strange collection of tins you’d see at Harvest Festivals – hence titles as varied as ‘Tinned Apricot’, ‘Pear Shaped’ and ‘Mango Chutney’. Arguably the albums finest moment is the opening track ‘Apple Bobbing’. Opening with an ambient keyboard loop that combines with a ’90′s UK garage beat, the songs playful melody clearly echoes the work of his ‘day job’ without simply reproducing it. ‘Harvest Festival’ Released on 23rd November.
Jon Davies News Hot Chip, Joe Goddard
