The Imperfect Sea
The iconic Penguin Cafe join the Erased Tapes family and open a brand new chapter to their unique world with new album The Imperfect Sea – out on Erased Tapes 5th May 2017. A penguin stands in the middle of a scorching desert, far away from its natural habitat. This mirrors composer Arthur Jeffes’ journey and exploration into a new musical territory. Penguin Cafe have evolved into something of their own at the hands of Arthur who started the band in 2009 with the continuation and homage to his father’s legacy, to the late Simon Jeffes’ Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Now, their upcoming album echoes reminiscent sounds that embrace the new. The album title refers to a saying by his father that “we wade in a sea of imperfections…”, reflecting upon the idea that beauty can be found amongst the chaos. “If there is a narrative to the album it’s coming to the acceptance of the imperfections in all aspects of life; moreover, the recognition that these imperfections and tiny randomnesses are in fact what make up the best parts”, Arthur explains. This has also been highlighted by the striking cover artwork designed by FELD under the art direction of label founder Robert Raths, resembling a lone figure adapting to and accepting its surrounding environment. Predominantly self-composed, the new album also features covers of electronic works by Simian Mobile Disco and Kraftwerk, along with a re-working of Simon's 'Now Nothing'. Arthur has developed from the traditional folk and jazz heritage Penguin Cafe Orchestra is known for into another realm of blissful ambience and dance music, recreated using strictly acoustic elements. “For this album I wanted to effect a departure from where we’d been up to now. The idea was to create a musical world that would feel familiar to an audience more used to dance records but stay true to our own values. So we replaced electronic layers with real instruments: pads with real string sections, synths with heavily-effected pianos, and atmospheric analogue drones with real feedback loops ringing through a stone and a piano soundboard.” On the day of release, the band will play a headline show at New York’s Le Poisson Rouge, commencing the beginning of this new adventure for Penguin Cafe.
Simon Jeffes’ Penguin Cafe Orchestra were charming and baffling in late ’70s UK music, mixing ambient, Balearic, drone, and more. Now Jeffes’ son is using the name with members of Gorillaz and Suede.
When Arthur Jeffes founded Penguin Cafe in 2009, it was intended as both a continuation and tribute to his late father Simon Jeffes' own avant pop band Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
Arthur Jeffes' second album as leader of Penguin Cafe proves that his father's musical legacy is in good hands.
Borrowing from the repetitive minimalism of Philip Glass and the ambient stylings of Brian Eno, Penguin Cafe's Arthur Jeffes carries on the tradition that began with his father's Penguin Cafe Orchestra back in 1976.
An affectionate homage to the progenitor of the Penguin family enterprise.