U.S TOURDATES
7/7 Popshop @ Tammany Hall NYC
with K. Flay, Spacecamp and Captain cuts (DJ)
7/9 - Jelly NYC @ Rockbeach Aviator Sports Complex Brooklyn
with Wild Yaks, Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang and Monogold
7/15 - Officially Unofficial Pitchfork After Party @ The Mid Chicago
with Jessica 6, Hey Champ, Midnight Conspiracy and Broken Disco 1980
7/21 - All Things Go + Neon Gold Records Present: All Things Gold @ U Street Music Hall DC
with RAC DJ's, Brenton Duvall DJ, Reptar (live)
Many are undoubtedly uttering to themselves "about time, damn it" as they gaze upon this announcement with a sense of jovial relief - and about time indeed! Its been quite a journey for New York City's own Penguin Prison who has flourished into one New York City's finest and most championed disco-pop melody makers around.
Winning the hearts of top bloggers and securing continuous top placements on the hype machine countless times, selling out shows across America and Europe, not to mention a tour with Girl Talk, Jamiroquai and Two Door Cinema Club already, Penguin Prison sets his sights toward a very busy rest-of 2011, inking a recent deal with Downtown Records and a self-titled debut due to drop this Fall.
During such a tumultuous time in the music industry, Penguin Prison was in sure fire danger of falling victim to his own success. Success in the sense that fans and music lovers were flocking to shows and downloading tracks by the dozens, however it seemed to start steering interested professionals in the opposite direction as they shied away from the notion that fans actually do flock for quality and what they love regardless of a price tag, and people genuinely do adore Penguin Prison's music.
Thankfully, Downtown Records stepped in, known for championing artists such as Miike Snow, Santigold, Cold War Kids and Duck Sauce. With a defiant approach and a belief in an artist that has been getting the dance floor moving since 2009, it only made sense to invite this pop pioneer to become part of their family.
Even if you never find out what a Penguin Prison is, there’s no denying Chris Glover aka Penguin Prison has made a brilliant record. If you’re a fan of New York disco, as accessible as it is angular, all burbling bass lines, resonant rhythms, shimmering synths and heavenly melodies, then you’ll love the new Penguin Prison album.
“I definitely wanted to make a pop album where every song was good and catchy and people could dance to it,” decides Chris, who aims to perform his songs all over the world like a strange little impish hybrid of Jackson and Prince. “It was hard work to make, but I tried to have fun. I made sure of that. If I didn’t jump around the room while I was recording a song, it didn’t make the cut. Fun is the key.”
Penguin was born, appropriately, at the dawn of electrofunk, in 1983 - the postdisco era of Peech Boys’ "Don’t Make Me Wait" and D Train’s "You’re The One For Me" - and grew up, an only child, on New York’s Upper East Side. He went on to become Penguin Prison at the start of 2009. It wasn’t long before he earned a reputation as remixer du jour for the likes of Marina and the Diamonds, Goldfrapp and Passion Pit. He agrees that he conferred NY kudos especially on the British artists, and admits his favorite remix was for Jamiroquai, adding that the secret to a good remix is “to throw everything away from the original track and start from scratch.”
It was inevitable that Chris would then make music of his own, which he began in late 2009. You can hear the spectacular results on the debut Penguin Prison album, which sounds to all intents and purposes like a Greatest Hits collection, so chock-full it is of catchy hooks and classic pop choruses.
www.penguinprison.com/
www.myspace.com/penguinprison
www.facebook.com/penguinprison
www.soundcloud.com/penguin-prison
www.twitter.com/#!/penguinprison
www.youtube.com/user/PenguinPrison
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