GoGo Penguin: 2016

Nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2014 for their second album, v2.0, Manchester's GoGo Penguin artfully blurs the boundaries of traditional jazz and structures bold, cinematic compositions with the architectural blueprint of electronic music.

Although pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Nick Blacka and drummer Rob Turner might look like a traditional jazz trio at first glance, the three bandmates cite influences as varied as Aphex Twin, Massive Attack or Jon Hopkins. The acoustic intimacy and improvisation of GoGo Penguin's music veers to a far more alternative form of jazz, punctuated with the build, breakbeats and polyrhythms of dance music.

The band’s new album, Man Made Object, also marks their first release with the storied Blue Note label, an auspicious step for GoGo Penguin. And although they’ve played plenty of jazz-oriented venues, GoGo Penguin’s tours have landed them at major rock and pop festivals, like this year’s Coachella.

Illingworth, Blacka and Turner visited FUV’s Studio A shortly after their Coachella dates and played two songs from Man Made Object. They also explained their unique songwriting process and the stories that drive the imaginative narrative of their music.

[recorded: 4/27/16]