GoGo Penguin
English jazz fusion band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
GoGo Penguin are an English jazz fusion band from Manchester, consisting of pianist Chris Illingworth, double bassist Nick Blacka, and drummer Jon Scott. They formed in 2012 and, as of 2026, they have released seven studio albums, two EPs, and three live albums.
GoGo Penguin | |
|---|---|
 GoGo Penguin logo | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Manchester, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Labels |
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| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | gogopenguin |
History
GoGo Penguin formed in Manchester, England, in 2012.[citation needed] They released their debut album, Fanfares, the same year, to positive reviews.[2] Their follow-up, v2.0, came out in 2014.[3] In September 2014, it was shortlisted for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize as Album of the Year.[4]
In 2015, GoGo Penguin signed to Blue Note Records.[5] Their third album, Man Made Object, was published in 2016. They followed it in 2018 with A Humdrum Star.[6] Their next record, which was self-titled, came out in 2020.[7]
On 6 December 2021, the band announced the departure of their original drummer, Rob Turner,[citation needed] who was replaced by Jon Scott. Also in 2021, they released the album GGP/RMX and followed it with Everything Is Going to Be OK in 2023. Necessary Fictions came out in 2025.
Musical style
The band's music features breakbeats, minimalist piano melodies,[8] powerful basslines, electronica-inspired drums,[9] and anthemic riffs.[10][11] Their music also incorporates elements of trip-hop, jazz, rock, and classical.[10][12]
Critics have compared GoGo Penguin to Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher,[13] Massive Attack, and Brian Eno,[14] as well as modern classical composers Shostakovich and Debussy[4] or contemporary minimal music composers like Philip Glass.[15]
Band members
Current
- Chris Illingworth – piano
- Nick Blacka – double bass
- Jon Scott – drums
Past
- Rob Turner – drums
- Grant Russell – double bass
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [16] |
AUT [17] |
BEL (FL) [18] |
BEL (WA) [19] |
FRA [20] |
GER [21] |
NL [22] |
SCO [16] |
SPA [23] |
SWI [24] | ||||
| Fanfares |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| v2.0 |
|
— | — | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Man Made Object | 72 | — | 74 | 124 | 100 | 93 | 120 | 89 | 73 | 82 | |||
| A Humdrum Star |
|
73 | 75 | 46 | 192 | 118 | 41 | 128 | 69 | — | 79 | ||
| GoGo Penguin |
|
—[A] | — | 83 | 200 | 114 | 29 | —[B] | 40 | — | 26 | ||
| Everything Is Going to Be OK |
|
—[C] | — | — | — | —[D] | 54 | — | 33 | — | — | ||
| Necessary Fictions |
|
—[E] | — | — | — | —[F] | — | — | 68 | — | 58 | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
EPs
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ocean in a Drop (Music for Film) | Blue Note Records |
| 2022 | Between Two Waves | XXIM Records |
Live albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Live at Abbey Road | |
| 2020 | Live from Studio 2 | |
| 2024 | From the North: Live in Manchester | XXIM Records |
Remix albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | GGP/RMX | Blue Note Records |
Notes
- GoGo Penguin did not enter the UK Albums Chart but peaked at no. 20 on the UK Albums Sales Chart.[16]
