The title, 'New Band Showcase', may not be entirely true this week, but what the hell, I'm going to bend the rules a bit! Anyway, I'm going on the basis that for a lot of you, Penguin Prison is merely a glimmering, undiscovered jewel that lies in the murky depths of the stagnant waters that is the internet music-sphere. If I am correct, then read on. If, like the two-and-a-half thousand people following them on twitter, you are familiar with Penguin Prison, read on anyway!
Penguin Prison is an electro-pop act from New York and is the brainchild of producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Chris Glover. Glover's big break was with his 2009 debut EP, Animal Animal/A Funny Thing, which was put out via indie label, Neon Gold Records. Often compared to Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem and Mike Snow, his electro-pop outfit also transfers to several successful remix projects (Marina & The Diamonds, Goldfrapp Sebastien Tellier) and also as a live act; a trio comprising of Conrad Stern-Ascher on synthesizers and Ernesto Karolys on drums, in addition to Glover on vocals and guitar. After the release of another double-sided single, The Worse It Gets/Something I'm Not, a self-titled full-length album arrived earlier this year via Downtown Records.
The music of Penguin Prison falls into the niche of New York disco, embracing upbeat sounds reminiscent of the eighties, almost effortlessly embedding sweet melodies into your head. The lead track, Don't Fuck With My Money, from Glover's latest eponymous album is a funky, groove-driven song. The hook, "Don't fuck with my money / Or you'll be sorry", is ridiculously catchy and playful and highlights Glover's flawless, RnB style vocals. But according to Glover, the song has another, more relevant side to it:
Besides the lead track, The Worse It Gets, is my favourite on the album. A bouncy, pulsing, synth number, along the lines of other artists like Alphabeat and Calvin Harris. Educated at Bard College of Performing Arts in New York, Glover's talents are obvious. Having already achieved so much, he's on a rapid ascent to bigger and better things. Glover recently released a remix of new pop sensation, Lana Del Ray's track, Blue Jeans (which he classes as one of his best remixes ever), and is rumoured to be working with the singer again at his New York studio.
With Penguin Prison's combination of addictive pop music with a quirky, humorous elements, I reckon we'll be hearing a lot more of them. Meanwhile, Penguin Prison are currently on tour in America supporting their debut album.
Penguin Prison is an electro-pop act from New York and is the brainchild of producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Chris Glover. Glover's big break was with his 2009 debut EP, Animal Animal/A Funny Thing, which was put out via indie label, Neon Gold Records. Often compared to Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem and Mike Snow, his electro-pop outfit also transfers to several successful remix projects (Marina & The Diamonds, Goldfrapp Sebastien Tellier) and also as a live act; a trio comprising of Conrad Stern-Ascher on synthesizers and Ernesto Karolys on drums, in addition to Glover on vocals and guitar. After the release of another double-sided single, The Worse It Gets/Something I'm Not, a self-titled full-length album arrived earlier this year via Downtown Records.
The music of Penguin Prison falls into the niche of New York disco, embracing upbeat sounds reminiscent of the eighties, almost effortlessly embedding sweet melodies into your head. The lead track, Don't Fuck With My Money, from Glover's latest eponymous album is a funky, groove-driven song. The hook, "Don't fuck with my money / Or you'll be sorry", is ridiculously catchy and playful and highlights Glover's flawless, RnB style vocals. But according to Glover, the song has another, more relevant side to it:
"I WROTE AND RECORDED 'DON'T FUCK WITH MY MONEY' SOME TIME BEFORE THE OCCUPY WALL STREET PROTEST BEGAN BUT I FELT THAT SOME OF THE LYRICS REFLECTED THE SENTIMENTS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE RIGHT NOW."
Besides the lead track, The Worse It Gets, is my favourite on the album. A bouncy, pulsing, synth number, along the lines of other artists like Alphabeat and Calvin Harris. Educated at Bard College of Performing Arts in New York, Glover's talents are obvious. Having already achieved so much, he's on a rapid ascent to bigger and better things. Glover recently released a remix of new pop sensation, Lana Del Ray's track, Blue Jeans (which he classes as one of his best remixes ever), and is rumoured to be working with the singer again at his New York studio.
With Penguin Prison's combination of addictive pop music with a quirky, humorous elements, I reckon we'll be hearing a lot more of them. Meanwhile, Penguin Prison are currently on tour in America supporting their debut album.