GoGo Penguin
Regular readers of this blog know that I’m a big fan of the UK trio GoGo Penguin, that mixes the acoustic piano trio with the sounds of contemporary electronic music very successfully (see my reviews of Ocean In A Drop, Man Made Object, an older live gig in Zurich, and the only album I wasn’t particularly fond of, A Humdrum Star).
In spite of Covid, GoGo Penguin this year has managed not only to release a new studio album (which I loved), but is now even giving us a “live” EP. Well, it is played live, but actually from the famous Abbey Road Studios, so without an audience around, given the circumstances.
GoGo Penguin – Live At Studio 2 (BlueNote 2020)
Audience or not, the energy in this album is incredible.
This video of one of the songs, Petit_a, should give you a good idea what to expect.
My favorite song from this EP is Atomised, from their 2020 self-titled album. This really epitomizes what I like about them, the powerful grooves, the ability to take a simple fragment arpeggio and turn it into an entire song, and the mesmerizing energy.
Check it out, you won’t be disappointed. And please remember, if you want to support artists in this challenging year 2020, do buy their music!
My rating: 5 stars
You can find it here (Qobuz)
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