Ed Davenport - Take Heart

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  • Ed Davenport turns up on Figure SPC, the slightly housier sub-label of Len Faki's Figure imprint, with a record that takes aim at both sides of the Berghain/Panorama Bar complex. "Weird Organ," bunker techno at its most severe, files its presumed organs down into hard, percussive stabs, ringing with dubby urgency; flayed ride cymbals, cavernous reverb and insistent tri-tones add to the apocalyptic feel. Tonally, it's a one-note affair, but nimble filtering keeps the mood uncertain and the pacing fluid; its peaks feel earned, not tacked on. "Take Heart," on the other hand, is obviously intended for upstairs, and anywhere else that pianos and relaxed grooves are known to work their magic. It's a simple track, making do with a single pair of chords and tight, jacking drum programming; there's a neat little fillip in the low mids that lends a subtly carefree melodic vibe, more felt than heard. The keys are ever so slightly staggered to rush the beat, adding movement and spark, and Davenport again proves his expertise at using the EQs to create drama gracefully. Finally, Bearweasel rework "Take Heart" into a shuffling dub version marked by distorted chord stabs and tougher, metallic percussion. From the original's main vocal—"Your heart will do the work"—they take the final word and flip into the classic house imperative, backed up by a hypnotic, chord-heavy grind.
  • Tracklist
      01. Take Heart feat. Mama 02. Weird Organ 03. Take Heart feat. Mama (Bearweasel's Lazy Dub Mix)
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