All Res
GoGo Penguin
"All Res" is GoGo Penguin at their most propulsive — the opening establishes a rhythmic momentum that does not release until the track ends, and the tension between that relentlessness and the trio's tendency toward lyrical counterpoint creates something genuinely exhilarating. Nick Blacka's bass here is almost aggressive, driving upward through the texture rather than simply anchoring it, and Turner's drumming has a precision and speed that recalls drum and bass more than bebop. Against this engine, Illingworth deploys piano figures that run in contrary motion — quick, angular lines that seem to be trying to escape the groove even as the groove makes them more interesting. The harmonic language stays accessible despite the technical intensity; you never feel lost, only propelled. There is a quality of high resolution that the title implies — everything is vivid, nothing is smeared — and the interplay between the three musicians has the sharpness of people who can anticipate each other's movements with near-perfect accuracy. This is music that changes your walking pace when it comes through headphones, that makes you want to be in motion. It suits mornings when the energy is present and needs somewhere to go, or the specific hour before a performance or a difficult conversation when you want to feel capable and fast.
fast
2010s
sharp, vivid, propulsive
British contemporary jazz, Manchester, drum and bass crossover influence
Jazz, Contemporary Jazz. Nu-Jazz / Drum and Bass-influenced Jazz. euphoric, aggressive. Establishes relentless propulsive momentum immediately and never releases it, the tension between aggressive rhythm and lyrical contrary-motion piano sustaining exhilaration to the final bar.. energy 9. fast. danceability 7. valence 8. vocals: instrumental, no vocals, piano lines angular and rapid against driving rhythm. production: acoustic piano trio, aggressive upfront bass, drum-and-bass precision drumming, vivid high-resolution clarity. texture: sharp, vivid, propulsive. acousticness 5. era: 2010s. British contemporary jazz, Manchester, drum and bass crossover influence. Morning when energy is present and needs somewhere to go, or the hour before a performance or difficult challenge when you need to feel capable and fast.