Cerca:gogo penguin

GoGo Penguin veröffentlichen auf der limitierten 180g Vinyl-EP "From The North - GoGo Penguin live in Manchester" subtile Neu-Arrangements von sieben bestehenden Titeln, die das aus Manchester stammende Jazz-Electronica Piano-Trio während der Konzerte ihrer 2023-Tour weiterentwickelt hat. Auf insgesamt 31 Minuten Spielzeit erkundet GoGo Penguin die Titel "Wave Decay, Ascent", "Friday Film Special", "Everything is going to be OK", "An Unbroken Thread of Awareness", "You're Stronger Than You Think" und "Parasite" vom Album "Everything is going to be OK" von 2023 und der EP "Between Two Waves" von 2022 in neuen, energetischen Live Versionen. "As the music was still fresh for us, it was nice to play it all live together in the same room. Every track that we recorded that day has made it onto the record and we're very happy to share our return to this studio with you".Aufgenommen wurde "From The North" in den legendären Old Granada TV-Studios in Manchester, wo schon die Beatles ihren ersten TV-Auftritt hatten und legendäre Bands wie Joy Division oder New Order ihre Fernseh-Debüts feierten. "Ever since we first stepped into it, we fell in love with the live room. We thought it had brilliant acoustics and the space had a lot of character and a fascinating history."

Deluxe clear Vinyl + Bonus 7" mit 2 weiteren neuen Tracks: Earased by sunlight & Long walk

Nach einer triumphalen Herbsttournee stellen die Jazz-/Electro-Stars mit 300 000 verkauften Alben ihre neueste EP "Between Two Waves" im Vinylformat vor. Ein Neo-Jazz-Juwel mit energiegeladenen und mitreißenden Rhythmen, in denen Klavier, Kontrabass und Drums perfekt miteinander verschmelzen. Mit dieser neuen EP präsentieren Gogo Penguin eine neue Besetzung (der Schlagzeuger Jon Scott schließt sich dem Pianisten Chris Illingworth und dem Bassisten Nick Blacka an, einige Monate vor den Aufnahmesitzungen in den Real World Studios von Peter Gabriel) und unterzeichnen bei einem neuen Label: XXIM Records. Neuanfang und wichtiger Wendepunkt in ihrer Entwicklung: Die Band begann, neue Ideen zu erforschen und zu experimentieren, und erweiterte die Palette der Klänge und Stimmen in den Stücken.

Manchester's jazz scene has produced some of the UK's brightest and most original jazz groups. Now with its eighth releaseMatthew Halsall's Manchester based Gondwana record label shines a light on another of Manchester's well kept musical secrets, the expansive, brilliant piano trio GoGo Penguin.
Featuring pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Grant Russell and drummer Rob Turner (all still in their twenties), GoGo Penguin, draw on a heady brew of influences from Aphex Twin to Brian Eno, Debussy to Shostakovich and Massive Attack to EST. GoGo Penguin who have already developed a growing cult following in the North West as well as turning in storming performances at the Gateshead International and Manchester Jazz Festival's first came to Halsall's attention when he heard them at a friends night (Norvun Devolution) at the Roadhouse in Manchester. He was immediately drawn to their sublime collective empathy and the seamless fusion of jazz, classical and electronica influences in their music. 'I was blown away the first time I heard them, for me tracks like Last Words and HF are modern anthems and I knew immediately that I wanted to release their music". I am very proud to welcome them to the Gondwana label"

GoGo Penguin met whilst studying music at the RNCM in Manchester. After doing frequent gigs together with various other bands and musicians they started jamming together and started creating new music. They had no specific sound in mind, but just wanted to be free to create freely and honestly. The new band quickly became a vehicle to combine all the best bits from the music they where influenced by and loved. Individually Illingworth brings a lyrical and melodic style influenced heavily by classical piano music and electronica. Turner brings a driving modern style of drumming influenced by jazz, electronica, ambient, classical and dance music. Russell brings a gritty energetic double bass style influenced by the likes of Charles Mingus but also more modern electronic producers. The band's modus operandi is to have one of them bring an idea to rehearsal. Then there's a lot of experimentation, they try out as many different ways to play the piece as they can think of, until it begins to sound like something they all like.
It is their unique ability to synthesis and develop each others melodic and harmonic ideas while drawing on music from classical to electronica that makes GoGo Penguin's music so enthralling and their debut album such a powerful opening salvo from a powerful new voice in UK music.

Gondwana Records are delighted to announce parts 3 and 4 of the '7" Series', our first ever 7" vinyl collection series. Featuring bespoke artwork from Gondwana Records designer Daniel Halsall, cut at Calyx in Berlin, and manufactured at Optimal, each 7" is limited to strictly 300 copies and housed in a reverse board printed sleeve with classic 'dinked' centre holes.

Taken from 2013's v2.0, the Manchester trio's Mercury Prize nominated breakthrough album, this double A-side banger represents GoGo Penguin at their unmistakable best. Both tracks are classics and still feature in the band's live sets to this day. Unmissable.

Side A Garden Dog Barbecuefeatures a stonking piano riff over a frenzied, relentless breakbeat

Side B Hopopono features the bands most blissed out groove.

Gondwana Records are delighted to announce the 6th release of our '7" Series', our first ever 7" vinyl collection series. Featuring bespoke artwork from Gondwana Records designer Daniel Halsall, cut at Calyx in Berlin, and manufactured at Optimal. This one is limited to strictly 500 copies and housed in a reverse board printed sleeve with classic 'dinked' centre holes.

Last Words and Fanfares were GoGo Penguin's breakthrough tracks, taken from their first album, Fanfares, they first introduced the band's trademark mix of jazz, dance and classical music influences to the world outside of Manchester. For this this very special release we feature two breathtaking alternate versions. Recorded in 2013 they feature the now classic line-up of GoGo Penguin with pianist Chris Illingworth, drummer Rob Turner and bassist Nick Blacka (replacing Grant Russsell) together with producer Joe Reiser - they are released here for the first and only time.

GoGo Penguin present Ocean in a Drop (music for film), a 5 track EP drawing from music originally written for their original live score to Godfrey Reggio’s cult film Koyaanisqatsi. Expect music that moves from fragile beauty to powerful themes that offer both a stand-alone snapshot of the trio’s world and echoes of the images that inspired the music.

Mercury Music Prize album of the year 2014

Deluxe remastered gate-fold double-LP with three bonus tracks (black vinyl version).

Noted for their hypnotic melodies, visceral bass-lines and tidal rhythm, Manchester-based leftfield piano trio GoGo Penguin are pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Nick Blacka and drummer Rob Turner. Their music has been described as acoustic-electronica but they draw equally on rock, jazz

and minimalism, game soundtracks and glitchy-electronica to create their unique music. They are now one of the most successful bands in contemporary music, topping the jazz charts globally and playingsold out shows around the world and have just announced their biggest tour yet including the Royal Albert Hall in London (Nov 12).

Originally released in March 2014, v2.0, was their breakthrough album and the first to feature the rebooted line-up with new bassist Nick Blacka, pianist Chris Illingworth and drummer Rob Turner. It was named a Mercury Prize album of the year 2014 alongside albums from Damon Albarn, Young Fathers and Jungle.

The extended version was first released on 2xLP for RSD 18 on clear vinyl. This version features the same extended tracklist on black vinyl.

Newly remastered for vinyl (by the original engineer)
2xLP deluxe gatefold edition.

v2.0 includes the hit singles, Hopopono, Garden Dog Barbecue and Kamaloka as well as the remarkable One Percent and live favourite To Drown in You. Included here for the first time is theincessant 'Break' featuring a killer groove that offers a notdto the one and only Squarepusher, 'Wash', a haunting slice of the band at their most ambient and the wonderful 'In Amber', the first track that the new line-up wrote completely together.

On April 7th electronic luminary Nathan Fake presents the new longplayer ‘Crystal Vision’ on his own Cambria Instruments imprint, which features collaborations with Clark and Wizard Apprentice.

This is music for music’s sake – recorded without angles, agendas and themes – so Fake was free to simply continue honing his craft and express himself non-literally. Aptly titled, there’s a clarity of execution and ambition, and a peak effectiveness to the record that just sounds right.

Continuing to set a personal bar higher and topping his own best, the mark of master craftsperson is everywhere, but that doesn’t mean it’s polished; There’s plenty of rawness evident, with spiky sonics keeping ears on high alert – full of endorphin-flooded rave energy.

Following a short, scene-setting ‘Arrival’ – a simple major chord arpeggio played on a Jupiter 6 which sounds like curtains opening at dawn, things begin apace with ‘The Grass’, which hurtles like a precision-tuned bullet train through Arctic tundra. The undulating effect of compression is emphasised by the classic techno trope where 2 rhythms jar yet interlock, creating an exquisitely disorientating strobe-like flutter. On the track’s guest, Fake comments, “I fell in love with Wizard Apprentice's ‘I Am Invisible’ and felt our musical styles were similar. Their vocals are smooth and clear and sharp at the same time. They’re like a calm within the storm.”

Inspired by Italo disco but sounding wholly alien and futuristic, ‘Vimana’’s fizzing buzzsaw arpeggiated bassline, popping snares and bright whirling melody are equally an electro trance melange, with an effervescent major chord Arp that kicks in midway.

Reminiscent of what used to be called ‘funky techno’ but with sparklier sounds, ‘Boss Core’ blinds like sunshine bouncing off ice. Using his trusty Boss DR550 drum machine, and inspired by Autechre's ‘Vose In’, the track peaks by reaching that melancholic/euphoric axis for which he is loved.

With chugging slow breakbeats not a million miles from Board Of Canada or trip hop, ‘Crystal Vision’ rolls along, with the melody opening up, revealing more hidden notes as it progresses, building into a fractal, kaleidoscopic mosaic.

An emotional outpouring with serotonin surging through the circuitry, classic breakbeats and layers of lazers, ‘Bibled’ has all the hallmarks of a classic. This is a bonafide festival-set closing, hugging-your-mates, moment – or, with its guitar solo, “a power ballad” – as Nathan calls it.

A minimalistic moment of calm midway through the album, ‘CMD’’s gently comforting dreamscape is conjured with FM stacked and detuned sine waves which are left to breathe, whilst the chunky Chicagoan house jack of ‘Hawk’ brings to mind classic Relief records, but even more detuned and wibbly, and laden with synths.

As the title suggests, ‘Amen 96’ is in Fake’s own words, “me having a go at jungle. I grew up listening to it, and I remember as a teenager it sounded like the most intense and otherworldly music ever. It still does. This track is an experiment to see how my melodic style works against amen breaks”. Closer to the braindance end of the spectrum than ‘proper’ jungle (and all the more interesting for it), Fake channels the spirit of Squarepusher but makes it his own, brimming with melodious twinkle.

A collaboration with Nathan’s close friend and genuine musical hero Clark. ‘Outsider’ finds this dream team alchemising pure gold that’s bigger than the sum of their parts. Skittering, intense, far-reaching end epic, the pair close proceedings on a grandly dramatic note. In 2020 Nathan released the album ‘Blizzards’, which was described by The Quietus as “his best work”, and “his best LP yet” yet by Resident Advisor. The equally well received ‘Blizzards Remixes’ EP which featured Afrodeutsche and Irene Dresel followed in 2021, as did a nationwide UK tour.

An in-demand remixer, Fake has added his magic to tracks by Radiohead, Clark, Perc, Jon Hopkins, GoGo Penguin, Dominik Eulberg, Christian Löffler and Damian Lazarus, working for labels including Ninja Tune, Domino, Warp, Blue Note and Kompakt.

illo.trio is a young ensemble and a representative of the modern jazz scene in the spirit of British group GoGo Penguin and Swedish trio E.S.T.
The band explores an unconventional and fresh sound. In their work, they combine elements of classical and pop music, jazz and minimalism, neo-classical influences, and even post-rock. Familiar musical formulas take on anew, unexpected character.
Band members:
-Nikolay Khomenko - keyboards
-Alexey Bausin - double bass
-Viktor Kulish - drums

Auf seiner dritten Studio-LP präsentiert Werkha einen einzigartigen Blend aus jazziger, Breakbeat-angehauchter Elektronik und analoger Ästhetik. Mit Ríoghnach Connolly und Daudi Matsiko sind zwei renommierte Künstler mit Wurzeln in der Folkmusik dabei, die Werkhas enge Verbindung zur Natur unterstreichen. Werkha (aka Tom Leah) ist ein Multiinstrumentalist aus Manchester mit Releases auf First Word und Tru Thoughts. Seine bisherigen Kollabos umfassen Quantic, A Certain Ratio, Marcos Valle, Eska, Chunky, Andrew Ashong, Keisha Thompson und Bryony Jarman-Pinto. Er tourte zusammen mit Bonobo, Chet Faker, Mr Scruff, Crazy P, GoGo Penguin, Todd Terje, Lefto und MCDE. Zu seinen Supportern gehören Gilles Peterson, Nemone, Don Letts, Jamz Supernova, Mo Ayoub), Julie Adenuga, Scratcha DVA, Tom Ravenscroft und Afrodeutsche

Auf »Necessary Fictions« zeigt das Trio GoGo Penguin, das seit seiner Gründung Jazz, klassische Musik und elektronische Einflüsse miteinander verbindet, was es aktuell als seine »wesentlichen, authentischen Qualitäten empfindet«. Das führt zu einem verstärkten Einsatz modularer Synthesizer in seinem Sound.

GoGo Penguin, zu denen seit der Pandemie der Schlagzeuger Jon Scott gehört, luden erstmals einige Gastmusiker für ihr neues Albumprojekt dazu: das achtköpfige Streicherensemble Manchester Collective unter der Leitung der künstlerischen Direktorin und Geigerin Rakhi Singh sowie den Singer-Songwriter Daudi Matsiko.
»Necessary Fictions« wurde so ein Album voller ambitionierter neuer Entwicklungen – von einer Band, die vollkommen im Reinen mit sich selbst ist: selbstbewusst genug, um sich auf Zusammenarbeit einzulassen, gespannt darauf, wohin die Reise als Nächstes geht, und voller Lust, dabei auch Spaß zu haben. »Mir ist sehr bewusst aufgefallen, wie oft ich im Studio beim Aufnehmen gelächelt habe“, sagt Illingworth, „und ich lächle jetzt gerade, wenn ich nur daran denke. Ich hoffe, diese Energie überträgt sich auf die Menschen.«

Für »Necessary Fictions« konnten sie ihr eigenes Studio in Manchester in einen stimmungsvollen Treffpunkt verwandeln – einen angenehmen Ort, an dem man gerne Zeit verbringt, mit Kunstwerken, Fotografien und anderen Bildern an den Wänden, die als Anregung und Inspiration dienten. Illingworth und Blacka waren dort so gut wie jeden Tag über zwölf Monate hinweg im Jahr 2024; dann kam Scott, der in London lebt, nach Manchester, um mit den beiden festen Größen von GGP zu arbeiten, sobald sie bereit für seinen rhythmischen Input waren. Der Titel des Albums stammt aus dem Buch »The Middle Passage - From Misery to Meaning in Midlife« des Psychoanalytikers James Hollis, das, wie Nick sagt, »sehr jungsche Sachen über das Schatten-Ich und verborgene Persona präsentiert. Man fängt an zu denken, ‚Moment mal, da ist ein authentisches Ich, tief drinnen irgendwo!«. »Musikalisch«, ergänzt er, »war es der gleiche Prozess, die gleiche Reise, einige der Dinge abzulegen, an die wir uns gewöhnt hatten und die uns zurückhielten.«

Der gesamte Veränderungsprozess ihrer musikalischen Entwicklung wird von einem Track auf »Necessary Fictions« zusammengefasst, der bezeichnenderweise den Titel »What We Are And What We Are Meant To Be« trägt. »Es ist wirklich einfach, wirklich melodisch«, erklärt Nick. »Es ist kein Showoff, wie ‚Hey, schaut mal, was für Skills wir haben und wie großartig wir sind!‘ Es gibt nicht einmal Improvisation darin. Bassmäßig hat es einfach einen Bass-Synthesizer wie ein Dance-Track. Ein Teil von mir denkt immer noch: ‚Was werden die Leute denken?‘ Dann gibt es einen anderen Teil, der einfach denkt: ‚Was soll‘s, die können denken, was sie wollen! Das ist das, was wir gerade machen wollen, und es fühlt sich authentisch an.‘«

Für Chris Illingworth hingegen bestand ihre Reise darin, weiter in eine Welt vorzudringen, die ihn immer schon angezogen hat, nämlich Synthesizer. »Ich bin früher oft live zu Leuten gegangen, die auftraten, wie Underworld, The Prodigy, Orbital, sogar Nine Inch Nails, und ich habe all ihr Equipment auf der Bühne gesehen, und ein Teil von mir dachte: ‚Verdammt, das sieht nach Spaß aus!‘« Illingworth und Blacka blieben jedoch weiterhin äußerst vorsichtig, was das willkürliche Einfügen von schrillen Sounds betrifft. »Wir wollten nicht, dass es wie ein Gimmick wirkt«, erklärt Chris. »Es musste einen Grund geben – und für uns war das der Wunsch, an bestimmten Stellen den Charakter der Musik zu verändern.«

GoGo Penguin hatte schon immer einen erzählerischen, filmischen Ansatz in ihrer Musik – weit entfernt von simplen Strophe-Refrain-Strukturen, inspiriert von Debussys »Préludes« bis hin zu Underworlds »Pearl’s Girl«. Auf »Necessary Fictions« nimmt diese Klang-Erzählkunst nun deutlich größere Dimensionen an – mit spürbar mehr Raffinesse.
GoGo Penguin graben nun selbstbewusst tief in sich hinein, um ihr bestes Selbst hervorzubringen und andere Talente in ihre harmonische Klangwelt einzubeziehen. Mit »Necessary Fictions« bewegen sich die Drei auf neuen Pfaden – und ja, es ist völlig in Ordnung, dabei zu lächeln.

2024 Repress ON BLACK VINYL

The album and single news follows closely on the heels of Daudi’s recent tracks “oMo” and “Fool Me As Many Times As You Like” which have received high praise from the likes of Gilles Peterson on Worldwide FM and BBC 6 Music as well as Lauren Laverne, and have been featured in several Spotify editorial playlists including The Most Beautiful Songs in the World, The Other list, The Listening Post, and Fresh Finds. Having released just two independent EPs – “A Brief Introduction to Failure” and “The Lingering Effects of Disconnection” – to date, Daudi has toured with GoGo Penguin, Keaton Henson, and Portico Quartet, whilst also being a participant of the Red Bull Music Academy in Montreal 2016. He also received a standing ovation at this years The Great Escape Festival, and plays as a member of Do Nothing’s live band, who he is currently on tour with. Through his unique brand of modern albeit reverent folk, Daudi continues to offer his listeners a space for understanding and introspection. Deft, melancholic picking reminiscent of Nick Drake is tempered by contemporary percussion and instrumentation. Matsiko’s vocals derive their strength from their seeming fragility. With every song, his confessional lyrics cut to the marrow.

Celebrating their 10th anniversary, Slowly Rolling Camera's sixth studio release, 'Silver Shadow,' is inspired by the dynamic interplay of film montages—infused with soul-stirring rhythms, magnetic melodies, and a lush spectrum of emotional tones.

Since bursting onto the scene in 2013, Cardiff's Slowly Rolling Camera has crafted a distinctive niche in the European jazz tapestry, effortlessly weaving together soul-stirring rhythms, magnetic melodies, and a rich palette of emotional hues. Known for alchemical compounds of jazz finesse, cinematic gravitas, and electronic flair, Slowly Rolling Camera fashions sound, perpetually pushing the boundaries of musical creativity.

"This album reflects our fascination with the cinematic approach, not just in sound, but in how we construct our music". SRC’s latest album, 'Silver Shadow,' delves even deeper into that cinematic realm. Inspired by the visual and musical interplay infilm montages, 'Silver Shadow' centers around a fictional protagonist, encapsulated both in the album’s narrative arc and its striking artwork. The tracks, concise and emotionally consistent, mark a departure from earlier long-form composition, aiming instead for more immediate impact.The core trio of Dave Stapleton (keys), Deri Roberts (sound design & production), and Elliot Bennett (drums) drive the band's collective ethos, further ornamented by a vibrant ensemble of collaborators including Jasper Høiby on bass, Josh Arcoleo onsax, Stuart McCallum on guitar, and Verneri Pohjola on trumpet. The band’s genre-defying approach and profound emotional depth has earned comparison with iconic groups The Cinematic Orchestra and GoGo Penguin and captured the hearts ofmany thousands of fans worldwide.

With their fourth album, Seas of Static, the French band Dead Horse One establishes itself as one of the heaviest bands of modern shoegaze, propelling the genre to new heights of power and emotion. In this album, Dead Horse One skillfully merges the incisive alternative metal of Deftones with the enveloping and ethereal sound of My Bloody Valentine. The result is a captivating whirlwind, where walls of guitars collide in a surge of creativity, raw emotion, and energy. Far from recycling, Seas of Static is a deep exploration of the grungegaze fusion, thus creating a unique and powerful sound, far from being conventional. Assisted by a massive production by Brendan Williams (Soul Blind, Francis Lung, GoGo Penguin), Dead Horse One creates a unique sonic texture with raw energy that evokes both grunge riffs and shoegaze atmospheres while injecting a new and contemporary energy. With this album, Dead Horse One pushes the boundaries of the genre, offering listeners an immersive and uncompromising musical experience.

With their fourth album, Seas of Static, the French band Dead Horse One establishes itself as one of the heaviest bands of modern shoegaze, propelling the genre to new heights of power and emotion. In this album, Dead Horse One skillfully merges the incisive alternative metal of Deftones with the enveloping and ethereal sound of My Bloody Valentine. The result is a captivating whirlwind, where walls of guitars collide in a surge of creativity, raw emotion, and energy. Far from recycling, Seas of Static is a deep exploration of the grungegaze fusion, thus creating a unique and powerful sound, far from being conventional. Assisted by a massive production by Brendan Williams (Soul Blind, Francis Lung, GoGo Penguin), Dead Horse One creates a unique sonic texture with raw energy that evokes both grunge riffs and shoegaze atmospheres while injecting a new and contemporary energy. With this album, Dead Horse One pushes the boundaries of the genre, offering listeners an immersive and uncompromising musical experience.

Kepler is free” represent the brand new Athenian Urban Jazz scene in full. You may say that they actually started the whole scene with their debut album "Teegarden" by Veego Records, an instant sold out! Voted by local music portals as one of the best albums of 2020 and probably one of the best debuts ever when it comes to the Greek jazz game. “Kepler Is Free” jazz rock ensemble makes expansive music that straddles the line between '70s soul-jazz, alternative hip-hop, and experimental electronica.

The name of the band is inspired by a retired space telescope launched by NASA to discover Earth-size planets orbiting other stars. Named after astronomer Johannes Kepler. Founded in November of 2018 by Sokratis Tsentoglou (drums) who gathered George Migdanis (electric guitar), Nikiforos Nugent (keys), Spyros Zardas (trumpet) and Vasilis Alexopoulos (bass guitar), they all came together from different musical backgrounds in order to create original and groundbreaking material.

Commuting over their shared love of jazz and hip-hop, they composed their debut album, “Kepler”, with five tracks that highlighted their love for the music of GoGo Penguin, Badbadnotgood and Alfa Mist.

The fact that all the members were young and had not played in other Jazz bands before was something that shook the Greek Jazz community. ''Second Light'' was recorded in difficult conditions and was delayed quite a while until it was finished due to the pandemic.

The band played a handful of sold out shows in Athens over the last few months proving with their performance and the attendance that the band created a crossover from Jazz to pop audience. "Juno" track was a smash hit on legendary "En Lefko'' Radio station over the last two years. Worth to mention that just a month before the release of their second album Kepler is Free collaborated with LEX, one of the most famous rappers in Greece with the "Spike Lee" track.

To celebrate its fifteenth anniversary, Gondwana Records proudly announces a highly limited edition series of exclusive coloured vinyl pressings by label peers Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet and Hania Rani plus newcomers Jasmine Myra and Svaneborg Kardyb and catalogue favourites from GoGo Penguin and Caoilfhionn Rose.

To celebrate its fifteenth anniversary, Gondwana Records proudly announces a highly limited edition series of exclusive coloured vinyl pressings by label peers Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet and Hania Rani plus newcomers Jasmine Myra and Svaneborg Kardyb and catalogue favourites from GoGo Penguin and Caoilfhionn Rose.

To celebrate its fifteenth anniversary, Gondwana Records proudly announces a highly limited edition series of exclusive coloured vinyl pressings by label peers Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet and Hania Rani plus newcomers Jasmine Myra and Svaneborg Kardyb and catalogue favourites from GoGo Penguin and Caoilfhionn Rose.

To celebrate its fifteenth anniversary, Gondwana Records proudly announces a highly limited edition series of exclusive coloured vinyl pressings by label peers Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet and Hania Rani plus newcomers Jasmine Myra and Svaneborg Kardyb and catalogue favourites from GoGo Penguin and Caoilfhionn Rose.

To celebrate its fifteenth anniversary, Gondwana Records proudly announces a highly limited edition series of exclusive coloured vinyl pressings by label peers Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet and Hania Rani plus newcomers Jasmine Myra and Svaneborg Kardyb and catalogue favourites from GoGo Penguin and Caoilfhionn Rose.

German masked pianist, composer and producer of modern classical and electronic music Lambert ventures into contemporary jazz with an electrifying and diverse jazz-electronic album. All This Time ranges from mesmerising classic jazz vibes to high-energy, beat-driven alternative jazz fusing electronics, drums, double bass & piano, referencing the sound worlds of Portico Quartet and GoGo Penguin. Released jointly on Verve Records and MercuryKX.

Clear Vinyl

New Nordic jazz duo Svaneborg Kardyb sign to Gondwana Records and announce NPR Tiny Desk session and captivating third album Over Tage

Svaneborg Kardyb are Nikolaj Svaneborg - Wurlitzer, Juno, piano and Jonas Kardyb - drums, percussion a multi award winning duo from Denmark, where they won two "grammys" at the Danish Music Awards Jazz 2019: New artist of the year and Composer of the year. ?Drawing on Danish folk music and Scandinavian jazz influences, including Nils Frahm, Esbjörn Svennson and Jan Johansson's landmark recording Jazz På Svenska, their music is an exquisite and joyful melding of beautiful melodies, delicate minimalism, catchy grooves, subtle electronica vibes, Nordic atmospheres and organic interplay, all underwritten by the sheer joy of playing together. "We started in the earliest of mornings over the blackest of coffee, sometimes even without talking, just music.

Immediately we felt a connection between our personal style of playing and the compositions emerged like out of nowhere. The vibe from these early sessions is still the backbone of our little band".

Svaneborg Kardyb hail from Aalborg, in Jutland, in the north of Denmark where they first met in 2013 and discussed the possibility of creating a duo over late night talks. Six years went by as they both explored other projects before they eventually realised the idea of making music together. Like their new label mates, Vega Trails, Svaneborg Kardyb are a duo, a format that gives them a lot of space to occupy - or leave blank. "We enjoy the simplicity and focus it gives to the interplay. We come from very different musical backgrounds; Nikolaj from Scandinavian jazz, and Jonas from Roots, blues and folk, so the music is a sum of our personal contributions and doesn't thrive to be anything else than that. It's quite unique for us to have this shared musical tongue and friendship".

Their music is intentionally simple at first glance, but evolves and unfolds through listening over time, with plenty of room for exploration, reflection and improvisation. Their aim is to create music that is as honest and intimate as possible "with melodies and rhythms so strong that we are left as only the messengers". And their fast-developing music chemistry allowed them to give little thought to what their musical influences were. Giving their music a captivating charm. "We explored whatever sounds and musical structures our duality gave birth to and through long jam-sessions we found small seeds of ideas that turned into tunes. Danish traditional songs, community singing and hymns are a big inspiration too. Both the tonal language, the lyrical melodies and the way generations can gather around the music, is something that is close to our hearts".

Over Tage (over roofs) is their third album, following Knob (2019) and Haven (2020) and marks their debut for Gondwana Records a label noted for working with artists such as Mammal Hands, Portico Quartet and GoGo Penguin whose music, like that of Svaneborg Kardyb delights in exploring the fertile spaces between genres. For the duo it is their most serious and thoughtful record to date. "It may be our strongest and most honest record so far. Doubts and uncertainty were kind of the foundation for the sounds of the album but there is also hope and lots of uplifting moments and we're very pleased with how it came out." And it is that mixture of elevation and thoughtfulness, honesty and intimacy that makes the music of Svaneborg Kardyb so special and Over Tage such a joy to listen to. The world awaits.

Belgian instrumentalists Glass Museum have found the perfect balance between piano and drums, where jazz and electronics collide, uniting the surgical precision of the best contemporary jazz, à la Gogo Penguin and Badbadnotgood, with the electronic influences of Jon Hopkins or Floating Points.

In motion since 2016, the duo consisting of keyboardist Antoine Flipo and drummer Martin Grégoire, have a rich history written around a powerful connection to duality. From the initial impact of the 'Deux' EP in 2018, to the synthetic and organic textures of the critically acclaimed 2020 album 'Reykjavik', Glass Museum has found its balance in symmetry.

Released 29th April via the groove-obsessed Sdban Ultra label, 'Reflet' was born out of a desire for freedom, a wish to innovate and travel differently. This new piece stands out as an artistic climax crafted at the crossroads of time and genres, an electronic proposition wrought by two brave hearts, tempered by the organic reflections delivered through computer free melodies. An album which places the human at the core of its compositions and in order to return to a more instinctive and instantaneous means of creation, the duo retreated to a secret location in one of the most remote parts of the Ardennes. It's there, in the shade of spruces, that the album was first born.

Extremely cinematographic, 'Reflet' delivers a panoramic view point: jazz, breakbeat, minimal techno and deep house, collide on neo classical grounds. From the dynamic instrumentation of album opener 'Caillebotis' to the absorbing oscillations of 'Shiitake' and grand gestures of the album title track, 'Reflet' is an odyssey running through troubled times, an ode to night time, to life, dreams and to all rhythms that convey emotions beyond words. Like its immersive creative process, the album offers a counterpoint and, above all, endless perspectives. Elsewhere, the pulsing, melodic 'Auburn' and entrancing electronic textures of 'Opal Sequences' continue the exploration before the strutting 'Kendama' showcases the electronic sensibilities that are buried within their productions.

Shining as a true instrumental tour de force, 'Reflet' also takes inspiration from the progress of the Ohme Collective. At the crossroads of art disciplines, science, new technologies and societal challenges, this creative community draws the future of visual arts and created the album artwork for this resolutely futuristic album.

Having initially won the opportunity to perform at the Dour Festival, Tournai back in 2016, Glass Museum have picked up a series of awards and distinctions back home in their homeland and they now find themselves dining at the top table of Europe's contemporary music scene. The international music scene opened itself to the band once again in 2019, with the duo performing at Elb Jazz in Hamburg, the legendary Ancienne Belgique in Brussels and the Iceland Airwaves Festival, Reykjavik.

In 2020, Glass Museum distinguished themselves by remixing a track for electronic artist, Rone. Having recently received a César Award for his soundtrack to the Jacques Audiard film, Les Olympiades, the French producer called on the Brussels duo's know-how - a mark of confidence which once again underlines the international reach of Glass Museum. Germany, Iceland, Turkey, Romania, Greece, France or Czech Republic have already approved Glass Museum's singular recipe.

"If I could watch any jazz band in the UK, any, I would choose Matthew Halsall's band, just love what he's been doing over the last few years... It's always high level, spiritual jazz music" Gilles Peterson BBC Radio 1.

Matthew Halsall (born September 11, 1983, in Manchester, England) is a Worldwide Award winning and MOBO nominated trumpeter, composer, producer and DJ.

Since 2008, Matthew has released seven critically acclaimed studio recordings and has been a key figure in the rise of a new jazz sound in the UK. In addition to his own releases Halsall has collaborated with many DJs and producers, most notably DJ Shadow and Mr. Scruff, and in 2013 Matthew's music was selected by Bonobo for his Late Night Tales compilation. Halsall is also the founder of Gondwana Records, a genre bending independent record label featuring a wealth defining albums by the likes of Portico Quartet, GoGo Penguin, Hania Rani and Mammal Hands.

His own rich music draws on the spiritual-jazz of Alice Coltrane and Phaorah Sanders, contemporary electronica and dance music alongside his travels in Japan, the traditional art and music of which, has left a lasting impression on his compositions.

Sending My Love (2008) and Colour Yes (2009) were his first releases and document Halsall's first great bands featuring the likes of flautist Chip Wickham, saxophonist Nat Birchall, harpist Rachael Gladwin, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Gaz Hughes. Joyful, life-enhancing albums, drawing on UK jazz and spiritual jazz influences but with a decidedly modern bounce, they introduced Halsall's music to the world gathering support from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Jamie Cullum, Mojo, Straight No Chaser and beyond.

But Halsall was never completely happy with how the records were presented and as part of Gondwana Records 10th anniversary decided to revisit the recordings, meticulously remixing and remastering them for vinyl and commissioning new artwork from Ian Anderson, one of his favourite designers. These then are the definitive editions of the records.
Sending My Love comes complete with the beautiful bonus track This Time, while Colour Yes features the equally striking It's What We Do and Ai.

"I am very proud of these early recordings. They represent the starting point of my musical journey in Manchester and showcase some of the cities finest musicians such as: Nat Birchall, Chip Wickham, Rachael Gladwin, Adam Fairhall, Gavin Barras and Gaz Hughes. They are also the very first recordings my brother and I decided to release on our record label (Gondwana Records). Listening back they sound full of energy and joy and really reflect how I was feeling at that precise moment. But as much as I loved the music, I was never 100 percent happy with the sound of the mixes and mastering.
So I decided to go back to the original tapes to remix and remaster them and present them the way I'd always wanted, and along the way we unearthed a couple extra unreleased tracks, which we decided to include as bonus material. Myself and my brother also decided to bring in Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic to re-imagine the artwork and we are super blown away by the results!" Matthew Halsall, Oct 2019

Special Edition Double Vinyl LP - Pressed at Optimal

Manchester based trumpeter, composer, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall is one of the rising stars of the UK jazz scene. His unique sound was brilliantly described as "Rain-streaked spiritual jazz from Manchester" by the Independent On Sunday and as a label-boss he has nurtured the careers of Mammal Hands and GoGo Penguin via his Gondwana Records imprint, while his own recordings have explored modal and spiritual jazz, string-laden minimalism and hard-bop. ON THE GO was Halsall's 2011 breakthrough disc, drawing inspiration from the late 60s hard-bop sounds of Max Roach and Art Blakey as well as the Strata-East and Black Jazz labels. it's Halsall's punchiest recording and won Jazz Album Of The Year at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards while the tracks Music For A Dancing Mind and Song For Charlie have proved amongst Halsall's most requested compositions.

Re-mixed and re-mastered at Gondwana's home from home, 80 Hertz studios in Manchester and reissued here due to popular demand, ON THE GO appears here in an extended format that adds three new tracks alongside the original album and appears on vinyl for the first time. Halsall explains the decision to reissue On The Go,

"I have always loved this album, and when fans kept asking me for a vinyl version I decided to make a special edition release, so I remixed and remastered the whole album with George Atkins at 80 Hertz Studios and in the process decided to include three bonus tracks that were recorded around the same time and took inspiration from one of my favourite jazz records, Miles Davis's Lift To The Scaffold "

Deluxe 2LP editions with artwork re-imagined by Ian Anderson of 'The Designers Republic'. "If I could watch any jazz band in the UK, any, I would choose Matthew Halsall's band, just love what he's been doing over the last few years ... It's always high level, spiritual jazz music" - Gilles Peterson BBC Radio 1. Matthew Halsall (*September 11th' 1983, in Manchester, England) is a Worldwide Award winning and MOBO nominated trumpeter, composer, producer and DJ.

Since 2008, Matthew has released seven critically acclaimed studio recordings and has been a key figure in the rise of a new jazz sound in the UK. In addition to his own releases Halsall has collaborated with many DJs and producers, most notably DJ Shadow and Mr. Scruff, and in 2013 Matthew's music was selected by Bonobo for his Late Night Tales compilation. Halsall is also the founder of Gondwana Records, a genre bending independent record label featuring a wealth defining albums by the likes of Portico Quartet, GoGo Penguin, Hania Rani and Mammal Hands. His own rich music draws on the spiritual-jazz of Alice Coltrane and Phaorah Sanders, contemporary electronica and dance music alongside his travels in Japan, the traditional art and music of which, has left a lasting impression on his compositions.

Sending My Love (2008) and Colour Yes (2009) were his first releases and document Halsall's first great bands featuring the likes of flautist Chip Wickham, saxophonist Nat Birchall, harpist Rachael Gladwin, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Gaz Hughes. Joyful, life-enhancing albums, drawing on UK jazz and spiritual jazz influences but with a decidedly modern bounce, they introduced Halsall's music to the world gathering support from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Jamie Cullum, Mojo, Straight No Chaser and beyond. But Halsall was never completely happy with how the records were presented and as part of Gondwana Records 10th anniversary decided to revisit the recordings, meticulously remixing and remastering them for vinyl and commissioning new artwork from Ian Anderson, one of his favourite designers. These then are the definitive editions of the records. Sending My Love comes complete with the beautiful bonus track This Time, while Colour Yes features the equally striking It's What We Do and Ai.

"I am very proud of these early recordings. They represent the starting point of my musical journey in Manchester and showcase some of the cities finest musicians such as: Nat Birchall, Chip Wickham, Rachael Gladwin, Adam Fairhall, Gavin Barras and Gaz Hughes. They are also the very first recordings my brother and I decided to release on our record label (Gondwana Records). Listening back they sound full of energy and joy and really reflect how I was feeling at that precise moment. But as much as I loved the music, I was never 100 percent happy with the sound of the mixes and mastering. So I decided to go back to the original tapes to remix and remaster them and present them the way I'd always wanted, and along the way we unearthed a couple extra unreleased tracks, which we decided to include as bonus material. Myself and my brother also decided to bring in Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic to re-imagine the artwork and we are super blown away by the results!" Matthew Halsall, Oct 2019.

Jazz meets Dance... GoGo Penguin Remixed - ein logischer Schritt!
Das in Manchester ansässige Jazz-Trio hat schon immer akustischen Jazz mit der Energie und Seele
elektronischer Musik verbunden und in Clubs wie auf Festivalbühnen Rave-artige Zustände erzeugt. Jetzt
gehen sie diesen Weg auf einem speziellen Albumprojekt weiter und lassen ihre Musik neu erfinden.
Auf ”GGP/RMX” widmen sich angesagte Producer und Remixer wie Squarepusher, Machinedrum, James
Holden oder Clark den besten Tracks des Trios und katapultieren sie in neue Klanglandschaften.

Over the course of four albums, Manchester based trumpeter, composer, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall has carved out a niche for himself on the UK music scene as one of it's brightest talents. His languid, soulful music has won friends from Jamie Cullum and Gilles Peterson to Jazz FM and Mojo as well as an ever-growing international following. His label Gondwana Records is home to GoGo Penguin and his own albums have found Halsall exploring the modal jazz of John and Alice Coltrane, paying tribute to the hard bop of the late '50s and early '60s or most recently on Fletcher Moss Park drawing on Eastern influences in his most personal statement yet. His latest album When The World Was One is something of a companion piece to Fletcher Moss Park (much of the music was written at the same time) but draws more explicitly on Halsall's love of spiritual jazz and Eastern music as well as his own studies in meditation and travels in Japan. Beautifully recorded at Hasall's favourite studio, 80 Hertz in Manchester, and engineered by Brendan Williams and George Atkins it features the recording debut of Halsall's large ensemble, The Gondwana Orchestra, which utilises the exotic flavours of harp, koto and bansuri flute and Eastern scales to create a global palate for Halsall's life-affirming sounds.

The Gondwana Orchestra features long time collaborators Nat Birchall, saxophone, Gavin Barras, bass and Rachael Gladwin, harp as well as Taz Modi on piano. Modi who also plays with Halsall in their more electronic trio shares his passion for spiritual jazz and plays the music with real feeling while the role of the harp here is to bring a touch of 'magical reality' a floating dreaminess that is a vital part of Halsall's elegiac and beautiful music. The drummer Luke Flowers is perhaps best known as part of Cinematic Orchestra, and Halsall describes him as 'one of the best drummers in the world' and hails him for 'playing the music exactly as I heard it in my head', Keiko Kitamura is a Japanese Koto player who is becoming an increasingly important part of the Gondwana Orchestra, her role is similar to Gladwin's in that the koto helps free up the music while also bringing a real sound of the East. Finally, flautist Lisa Mallett brings a love of Indian music to the orchestra, much travelled on the continent she brings all of her knowledge and experience to play offering a unique texture to Halsall's dreamy melodies.

The album opens with the title track, When The World Was One, an expansive ascending tune that nods to Art Blakey and McCoy Tyner and draws the listener in before giving way to the dreamy, meditative A Far Away Place which features great work from Gladwin on harp and draws on Eastern influences alongside the music of Alice Coltrane and Yusef Lateef. Falling Water which features the beautiful soprano of Nat Birchall nods to classic spiritual jazz as well, but mixes in the more contemporary influences of Nostalgia 77 and Cinematic Orchestra, while the hard-driving Patterns conjures an up-lifting celebratory vibe with fine work from pianist Modi to set the mood. The beautiful Kiyomizu-Dera is inspired by Halsall's travels in Japan and in particular his visit to the Buddhist temple of the same name. Likewise Sagano Bamboo Forest is named for another place that left a deep imprint on Halsall and aims to capture his feelings as he worked through the vast maze of bamboo trees. Finally the album closes with the self-explanatory Tribute To Alice Coltrane a grooving tribute to one of Halsall's key influences. Driven by a powerful bass line and featuring wonderful work from Mallet on bansuri flute and harpist Gladwin, the band all really find their way into Halsall's groove before the leader plays a beautiful wistful solo of his own and it is the oneness of the Gondwana Orchestra that makes it such a powerful vehicle for Halsall's music as the leader takes you on his very own journey through his musical and spiritual world.

Nat Birchall charts new paths toward spiritual communion, connecting jazz with classical Indian influences guided by the wistful flow of the harmonium.

Cosmic Language sees the UK-based saxophonist, composer and arranger return to Jazzman Records with a cross-cultural approach: an exploration of the parallel musical paths of jazz and Indian ragas. Here he takes influence from spiritual jazz forebears such as Alice Coltrane and Yusef Lateef and introduces the Indian harmonium to his band, where it takes the place of the piano. Making new connections to realise his transcendental ambitions, it's a logical next step in making music as spiritual cleanser.

The idea for the album was spawned from a one-off performance at a meditation centre, the Maharishi Golden Dome in West Lancashire. Seeking to bring a band set-up that was fitting to the quiet-minded setting, Birchall brought the harmonium with him. A small pump organ, it's an instrument he'd been in possession of for many years but hadn't previously used in his music. Building on the spiritual context of that show, and the associations of that instrument, it led naturally to the musical approach undertaken on the album.

Both the album and the show which preceded it were recorded with the same tight-knit group of players which have featured on Birchall's previous albums. All members of the group are part of the same like minded circle of Manchester-oriented jazz musicians, sharing stages and acquaintances with the likes of Matthew Halsall (a longtime collaborator with Birchall) and GoGo Penguin.

Birchall has always channeled wide-ranging ideas into music that's simple to understand, and this album is no exception. Album opener 'Man From Varanasi' is an ode to Bismillah Khan, one of Birchall's heroes of Indian music who hailed from the northern Indian city named in the title. It also sees him taking cues from the Indian raga tradition which, as with most other traditional Indian music, is a foundation which underpinned Khan's music.

Crucially, the ragas tap into the idea of of music as a means of spiritual release. As Birchall explains, "The whole act of making music is a spiritual experience. It's during performance and when playing music that I look for a kind of truth. It's with music where I find myself feel closest to attaining that 'enlightened' kind of feeling." "On rare occasions I've actually felt as though I was listening to the music being played rather than being involved in making it, almost like an out-of-body experience."

This natural feeling comes from Birchall's attitude toward jazz music. He sees it as an essential part of day-to-day life: instead of brightly-lit, occasional entertainment in lugubrious concert halls, he considers it an everyday, vital source of inspiration. At a moment where jazz-influenced music is undergoing creative renewal and wider appreciation, it's an important perspective that's found resonance elsewhere. His experiences and the world around him are filtered through his music, and he looks to have his music - be it live or on record - absorbed in the same quotidian way. "To me, it's an integral part of society, an everyday thing," he says. "You should hear the music every day."

Mammal Hands are a trio of like-minded musicians: Nick Smart piano, Jesse Barrett drums and tabla, and Jordan Smart saxophones. Floa is their second album for Gondwana Records and in the 18 months since their debut, Animalia, they have carved out a growing following both here and abroad for their hypnotic fusion of jazz, folk and electronica: winning fans from Bonobo and Gilles Peterson to Jamie Cullum. Landmark live performances have included shows at King's Place in London and the RNCM in Manchester, as well as a barn-storming debut at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Drawing on a rich well of influences from Sufi and shamanic African trance music, Irish and Eastern European folk music, to Steve Reich and Philip Glass and more contemporary electronica influences, their music is built around deceptively simple sounding ideas that are lent power through the use of repetition and rhythmic loops. They have been compared to both Portico Quartet and GoGo Penguin for the way in which they navigate the choppy waters between contemporary dance music and jazz. Floa (an old Norse word that means to deluge or to flow) is the sound of a more confident, experienced band: one that has grown together naturally through touring and gigging and through mammoth writing and rehearsal sessions where all three bring rhythmic, improvisational and melodic ideas to the table. Floa was recorded at Gondwana's home from home, 80 Hertz Studios in Manchester, reuniting the band with producer Matthew Halsall and features some of the Gondwana Orchestra strings who played on Halsall's acclaimed album Into Forever. Together they have crafted a wonderful sounding record, the richness of which perfectly illuminates the band's music. Artwork is from Gondwana's in-house design maestro Daniel Halsall whose artwork of symbols created from older symbols perfectly illustrates the creative ideas that drive the band's music.
The release is supported by an extensive UK tour including dates in Norwich, Bristol, Brighton, Manchester and beyond. The band support Matthew Halsall at St John's Hackney on May 26th and have their own head-line show at the Jazz Cafe, Camden on 31st May. Confirmed airplay from Jamie Cullum BBC Radio 2, Gilles Peterson 6 Music, Radio 3 Late Junction, BBC Scotland Jazz House, Jazz FM, John Kennedy X and full servicing to all specialist and online radio stations. Reviews from The Guardian, Mojo, Record Collector, Jazzwise, Nos Magazine, Nowthen and local press. Online support from AllAboutJazz, Quietus, Access All Areas, Bebop Spoken Here and beyond.