After kicking off the year with their sublime new single “Glimmerings”, cinematic break-beat trio GoGo Penguin are back, with “Saturnine”, the second single from their forthcoming new album Everything Is Going to Be OK - set for release April 14 2023.
“Saturnine” is a real dose of the 2.0 GoGo Penguin sound, a sound that has been subtly updated as the band begin to usher in a more sonically liberated era. It’s a sonic juxtaposition, both bouncy and somber; a blend of two worlds - driving momentum; but not allowing itself to run away. Its name, meaning ‘gloomy’, is a reminder that whilst rife with optimism, this project is one born from grief and all the emotion that surrounds it.
Everything Is Going to Be OK was born during a time of turbulence and loss. Recorded in a personally difficult period for the band, which included deep personal loss and mourning, the album studio time offered the band a sanctuary from real life. The resulting project draws its strength from a shared understanding and empathy, with a truly vibrant and hopeful sonic.. Life has many great aspects to it and despite the lows, we should be mindful and grateful to celebrate the highs at every turn. Through our hardships, together, we will emerge stronger; everything is going to be ok.
Speaking on “Saturnine”, the band state:
“The main synth line for this track had been in our pot of ideas for a while but the original version was much quicker and a bit darker. One day I was improvising with it when Nick came into the room and said, ‘try playing it this speed’ and gave me a much slower tempo. It was perfect, suddenly it had a real character and the ideas started flowing. I asked him ‘what gave you the idea to slow it down?’ and he told me it was the lucky cat.
[Nick] In our studio we have a lucky cat, like the ones you sometimes see in Chinese restaurants. Its arm makes a clicking sound when it waves, reminiscent of a metronome. It was a strange place to find inspiration, but it was just what we needed for this track. The title felt apt as one day we were discussing it and Chris mentioned how he felt it sounded a bit sad and melancholic. It hadn’t really occurred to me up until this point as I was more focused on it sounding quite bouncy and poppy to my ears. I think it’s a bit of both, but we find it’s fascinating that we can be working on the same track at the same time and yet experience it differently whilst doing so.”
With a new drummer, a new record label, (Sony Music electronica and neo-classical imprint XXIM Records), the Mercury Music Prize-nominated band are ushering in a more sonically liberated era. In the wake of two sold-out shows at London’s iconic KOKO, and a plethora of sold-out tour dates, the inimitable Mancunian trio have a truly captivating and quasi-magical presence, their music is both transformational and ethereal.
FORTHCOMING TOUR DATES:
FEBRUARY
09-02 Nilüfer Jazz Festival, Bursa TK
11-02 NOSPR, Katowice PL
APRIL
08-04 JazzOUT Fest, Heerlen NL
21-04 CRR Concert Hall, Istanbul TK
APRIL-MAY US/CA
27-04 Teragram, Los Angeles CA US
28-04 Great American Music Hall, San Francisco CA US
30-04 Alberta Rose Theater, Portland OR US
01-05 Hollywood Theater, Vancouver BC CA
02-05 Neptune, Seattle WA US
06-05 Dakota Jazz, Minneapolis MN US
07-05 Thalia Hall, Chicago IL US
09-05 Opera House, Toronto ON CA
10-05 Corona Theater, Montreal QC US
12-05 Crystal Ballroom, Boston MA US
13-05 Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY US
MAY - EU/UK
23-05 New Century, Manchester UK
24-05 St David’s Hall, Cardiff UK
25-05 Roundhouse, London UK
JUNE
04-06 Progresja, Warsaw PL
05-06 Filharmonia, Szczecin PL
Search and buy tour tickets below right now.
“Saturnine” is a real dose of the 2.0 GoGo Penguin sound, a sound that has been subtly updated as the band begin to usher in a more sonically liberated era. It’s a sonic juxtaposition, both bouncy and somber; a blend of two worlds - driving momentum; but not allowing itself to run away. Its name, meaning ‘gloomy’, is a reminder that whilst rife with optimism, this project is one born from grief and all the emotion that surrounds it.
Everything Is Going to Be OK was born during a time of turbulence and loss. Recorded in a personally difficult period for the band, which included deep personal loss and mourning, the album studio time offered the band a sanctuary from real life. The resulting project draws its strength from a shared understanding and empathy, with a truly vibrant and hopeful sonic.. Life has many great aspects to it and despite the lows, we should be mindful and grateful to celebrate the highs at every turn. Through our hardships, together, we will emerge stronger; everything is going to be ok.
Speaking on “Saturnine”, the band state:
“The main synth line for this track had been in our pot of ideas for a while but the original version was much quicker and a bit darker. One day I was improvising with it when Nick came into the room and said, ‘try playing it this speed’ and gave me a much slower tempo. It was perfect, suddenly it had a real character and the ideas started flowing. I asked him ‘what gave you the idea to slow it down?’ and he told me it was the lucky cat.
[Nick] In our studio we have a lucky cat, like the ones you sometimes see in Chinese restaurants. Its arm makes a clicking sound when it waves, reminiscent of a metronome. It was a strange place to find inspiration, but it was just what we needed for this track. The title felt apt as one day we were discussing it and Chris mentioned how he felt it sounded a bit sad and melancholic. It hadn’t really occurred to me up until this point as I was more focused on it sounding quite bouncy and poppy to my ears. I think it’s a bit of both, but we find it’s fascinating that we can be working on the same track at the same time and yet experience it differently whilst doing so.”
With a new drummer, a new record label, (Sony Music electronica and neo-classical imprint XXIM Records), the Mercury Music Prize-nominated band are ushering in a more sonically liberated era. In the wake of two sold-out shows at London’s iconic KOKO, and a plethora of sold-out tour dates, the inimitable Mancunian trio have a truly captivating and quasi-magical presence, their music is both transformational and ethereal.
FORTHCOMING TOUR DATES:
FEBRUARY
09-02 Nilüfer Jazz Festival, Bursa TK
11-02 NOSPR, Katowice PL
APRIL
08-04 JazzOUT Fest, Heerlen NL
21-04 CRR Concert Hall, Istanbul TK
APRIL-MAY US/CA
27-04 Teragram, Los Angeles CA US
28-04 Great American Music Hall, San Francisco CA US
30-04 Alberta Rose Theater, Portland OR US
01-05 Hollywood Theater, Vancouver BC CA
02-05 Neptune, Seattle WA US
06-05 Dakota Jazz, Minneapolis MN US
07-05 Thalia Hall, Chicago IL US
09-05 Opera House, Toronto ON CA
10-05 Corona Theater, Montreal QC US
12-05 Crystal Ballroom, Boston MA US
13-05 Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY US
MAY - EU/UK
23-05 New Century, Manchester UK
24-05 St David’s Hall, Cardiff UK
25-05 Roundhouse, London UK
JUNE
04-06 Progresja, Warsaw PL
05-06 Filharmonia, Szczecin PL
Search and buy tour tickets below right now.
