I'm unsure what first attracted me to Gogo Penguin, apart from the name, possibly hearing them on 6Music, possibly a recommendation from someone in a CD shop when buying a Portico Quartet album, but I've enjoyed the music of this English jazz trio for a while now.
This is their fourth album, featuring eight tunes, based on the traditional piano, bass, drums trio so prevalent in jazz, but with extensive use of electronica, but to enhance, rather than overwhelm.
Opening track Prayer is a beautiful piece, a simple piano theme over an ambient background, and the gentle, easy listen continues, sometimes a little more lively, sometimes a bit rambling, but never anything less than pleasant. Longer piece Strid has an infectious theme, and an interesting bass section.
Overall, this is a rewarding CD, with some lovely moments, but much that washes over this listener, and while pleasant, isn't remarkable.
3* - always worth a listen, but very few wow! moments.
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