Cargo Records

Wake Up (Spatial & Bearweasel remixes)

Take Records is a newly-minted British label founded to release deep and forward-facing electronic music of the highest quality, whatever the genre, reclaiming the concept of deep as a by-word for worthy “proper”-ness, and reviving the idea that earnest musical exploration is about intrigue and excitement, not knowing looks and the right t-shirt.

Take’s first release is by False Prophet, known for appearances on numerous Global Underground and Y4K mixes, who has also recorded as PMT. False Prophet’s own original mix of ‘Wake Up’ is a murky, hypnotic slice of immaculately-produced pumping house electronica, with crisp, live-sounding drums working in rhythm with a pulsing low-end throb and sleek filtered synths … except you won’t find it here on the limited vinyl version, as it’s reserved for digital release only. Instead, these grooves sway and shift to the sound of remixes from the Garnier & Luciano recommended Bearweasel, and producer-extraordinaire Spatial, who has emerged in 2009 as a deservedly-lauded pioneer of a future garage sound that square-nails the Take philosophy of wide-eyed innovation. Spatial offers up two contasting re-fixes, draping the parts over nagging, off-kilter two-step rhythms.

His 'Rework' is the lighter-shaded of the two, with percussive synth hits swelling out of the crackle-drenched mix, stretching out over nearly eight cycling minutes of delicately clicking beat patterns, distant melodic echoes and returning sonic signposts, while subtle subs bubble in the background. Against this, ‘Spatial Dub’ is built for only the darkest, sweatiest rooms, all insistent stabs and seismic bass rolled out in assured style. The trademark muted drum hits provide fractured forward motion as intricate production layers unfold to create a real version excursion sounding like King Tubby circa 2010.

Finally, Bearweasel's 'Got Fleas' mix reveals yet another alternative view, pinning the original stabs to a woozy 4/4 beat, working craftily-deployed percussive elements around an array of vocal chops and drones for a driving dancefloor rub as loaded with raw jacking flavour as it is heavy on the front foot, conjouring up in the process a box-fresh renewal of classic Chicago house repetition techniques.

We’re more than happy to pull up a chair for Take at the Cargo table, and with future releases lined up will from the likes of Ramadanman, F, Samuel H. Simpson, Mr Lager and James Fox, be ready to extend them the same hospitality.