Biography
Paul Murphy and Mark Cummins create music which is ambient, cinematic, folksy, electro and rich in conceptual depth.Bonded by influences from Kraftwerk to David Lynch movies to walking through Autumnal London and much besides Electric Penguins formed amidst a mutual love of vintage instruments, prog-rock and 70’s electro legends. The group (formerly a 3-piece, now a duo) released their debut album in 2007 to substantial press acclaim and promising radio support.
Critical praise for the group’s second album entitled “II”, has come in the form of plentiful airplay from national tastemakers such as 2FM’s influential Dan Hegarty, Newstalk’s Tom Dunne, Today FM’s Paul McLoone and Dublin’s indie station Phantom FM. Indeed “II” was among Dan Hegarty’s Top 10 albums of 2010. Lead single “Highgate Hill” has delighted media and muso alike.
The Penguins talents can also be heard this February on Channel 4’s “Sounds From The City” series in partnership with BOBCOM.com. The pioneering independent music website charged Electric Penguins with composing and recording its ‘score’ and incidental stings for not only the Channel 4 series but also it’s entire launch and accompanying activities.
The pair released “II” in Ireland digitally, on CD and super-deluxe double vinyl in October 2010.
The 12 track feast of psychedelic cuts slides dreamily between electronic, folk and ambient soundscapes with acoustic and club elements dispersed throughout the record. Whirly and trippy audio effects, vocoders, moogs, mellotrons, organs, deeply layered strings and naked pianos mash and mix to maximise melody. Amongst the delights featured are the folksy love song to London, “Highgate Hill” and the kraut-club inspired combo-track “Airships/Soundproof 45″.
The duo are currently working on their third album which is due for a late 2012/early 2013 release.
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