ALBUM PRESS RELEASE- FUTURE NOSTALGIA
Galway-based producer Penji follows up his acclaimed debut EP of 2020 with his latest offering Future Nostalgia. The seven tracks showcase Penji’s experience as a beatmaker and one of Ireland’s leading jazz guitarists. Created with the support of The Arts Council, Penji explored themes of alienation and humanity’s growing dependence on technology during the pandemic.
Groove and harmony are to the forefront across the release. The title track features a lush guitar loop which unconventionally sits in 11/8 time, while ‘WORLDWIDEWEB’ is an all-out burner, an ode to the live-streamed empty dancefloors of the past few years.
Penji’s influences stick their heads in at times, whether it’s the looming spectre of Aphex Twin toe-tapping in the background or spiky melodies weaving their way through Plaid-like chord progressions. Penji’s alter-ego as a jazz guitarist is mostly kept on a leash, but at times it bursts through.
Returning to his sonic collaboration with UK engineer Bob Macciochi of Subvert Central Mastering (Om Unit, DJ Shadow, Lorn), Future Nostalgia is a sensitively produced LP which brings together diverse styles, tempos and textures in a collage of infectious tracks.
MUSIC LINKS
Music video – ‘Future Nostalgia’
Music video – ‘WORLDWIDEWEB’
PHOTOS (hi-res)
Press quotes on FUTURE NOSTALGIA (2023)
“Future Nostalgia is a more electronic sounding LP than Electric Dream’s debut, Behind The Mask, with an emphasis on soft lo-fi beats.
..The title track features a lush guitar loop which comfortably sits in the unusual 11/8 time signature and still plays smooth as ambient jazz.
Other album highlights include ‘See Quince Jelly’, which features ominous electronic drums building up into a wall of sound. Overall Future Nostalgia walks the fine line of being a heavy but smooth LP.”
Niamh Browne, Hotpress (25 Oct 2023 , read full feature here)
Press quotes on penji ep (2020)
” With Penji, you will experience feelings of calm, isolation, and hope all in a single song, but it never feels disjointed. All the instrumentation is a joy but the guitar is a particular highlight. Penji is a one-man band, and an exceptionally talented one at that. This release transcends hip hop, jazz, and more—it’s a perfect blending of all styles.
I can see this EP being sampled a lot in the future, it’s an outstanding collection of music. If you need something to help you relax, or simply want to enjoy well-crafted music, this is for you. It’s a flawless first release and one Penji should be proud of. I hope to see a lot more of him in the near future—the music scene is this man’s oyster. “
Chris Nulty, Headstuff, 12 June 2020 (read full review here)
“Adopting the name of Penji for his solo project, Hackett appears to have taken his most interesting musical digression…in the process (Penji) has created a groove-laden sound that is augmented by weighty beats, shimmering processed guitar and warm synths. These are songs to reward repeated listens as various elements seep up to the surface and reveal themselves..
With this EP, Penji has revealed a knack of merging the ecstatic with the downbeat.”
Don O’Mahony, The Journal of Music, 8 July 2020 (read review here)