This week, we had a brand new addition to our 2025 upcoming albums listing to be enthusiastic about. Manchester-based jazz three-piece GoGo Penguin introduced the discharge of their seventh studio album NECESSARY FICTIONS, scheduled for launch on June twentieth, and shared the primary single from that journey.
NECESSARY FICTIONS finds pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Nick Blacka, and drummer Jon Scott digging deep internally into what Blacka refers to as “what we expect are our integral, genuine qualities at this second in time”. That features a few of their boldest steps but, like leaning extra closely than ever into modular synthesizers.
“Fallowfield Loop” reveals us GoGo Penguin in a brand new dynamic mild, with a stupendous mixture of jazz and cinematic parts that mix modular synths into their sound. All of it is a daring and vibrant assertion for what’s forward of us in terms of NECESSARY FICTIONS. I really like the darkish, eerie power that the music provides off. I could not assist however really feel uneasy in an inspiring approach. I additionally (undecided why) felt a Southeast Asian affect on the document, however perhaps that is simply me.
Completely excited for what’s to return. Their 2023 album Every little thing Is Going to Be OK (which we chosen as high 100 albums of 2023) emerged from a interval of turbulence, with the trio practically breaking apart, welcoming new drummer Jon Scott (previously of Mulatu Astatke’s band), navigating private loss, grief, and the pandemic. Amid the chaos, the studio turned their refuge, capturing a journey of uncertainty, endurance, and resilience, and that is all going to be channeled within the new document with a reputation that completely displays this premise, NECESSARY FICTIONS.
