GOLD023: PENGUIN PRISON

2010 has been a big year for Neon Gold replete with releases were extremely proud of, so it's fitting we bring the year to a close with the third single from an artist who has quickly become one of our flagship acts, the inimitable Penguin Prison. "Golden Train" was the first song we ever heard from the Penguin and remains one of his most essential tracks to date, coming off like Justin Timberlake fronting a DFA track, all heaven-sent vocals and Penguin's signature churning synths. It's absolutely massive, and the track we've been waiting to unleash on the world since first crossing paths with him nearly 18 months ago. A unique beast, it opens with a sparse vocal and synth arrangement and builds slowly throughout, evolving steadily as more and more layers are added to the mix until the song reaches a triumphant climax of spiraling synths and Penguin's falsetto'd vox by its conclusion. One of our absolute favorite tracks of the year, it's just another reason Penguin's forthcoming debut album should sit high atop your most anticipated albums of 2011 list.



You can stream the original above or get at the exclusive B-side remix from Pink Stallone - who you may remember from their killer remix of Marina & The Diamonds' "Obsessions" on Neon Gold way back when - for free download below. The whole package is out December 14th with preorder available now from the Neon Gold Shop and Puregroove, complete with artwork from the amazing FRAUGRAU and limited to only 300 copies worldwide. Our first two singles from Penguin Prison - 2009's Animal Animal/Funny Thing 7" and 2010's The Worse It Gets/Something I'm Not 7" - both sold out with the swiftness, so make sure you move fast on this. Song's like this don't happen all the time.

MP3: "Golden Train" (Pink Stallone Remix) - Penguin Prison

CUT FOR IT.

As the release of our next single for Marina & The Diamonds' "Obsessions" creeps ever closer, the first few remixes have begun trickling in and we'll be bringing them to you as they drop. First up is a slow-burning Italo-disco take from New Jersey's finest Pink Stallone, described by the guys themselves as some "empty street Sally Shapiro lonely disco shit". Cutting out the verses and stretching it out to seven-plus minutes, the duo transpose the track onto a churning bassline that takes the original into darker territory as air raid synths cascade back and forth across the mix and Marina's vocals ebb and flow ominously throughout. "Obsessions" is released worldwide this Valentine's Day and is available for preorder now from the Neon Gold Shop in the US and Puregroove in the UK.

MP3: "Obsessions" (Pink Stallone Crush) - Marina & The Diamonds

YOU HAVE NO SPIRIT.

The Golden Filter pretty much brought the house down last week at Heaven, but originally slated for the opening slot were our very own friends in Pink Stallone. Coming off like Danger remixing the Flashdance theme, "Swiss Ambulance" landed on xxjfg earlier this year and apparently impressed the shit out of the Late of the Pier bros who headlined and curated last week's Heaven showdown, but airfare expenses rendered their appearance at the night impossible. Pink Stallone are here to stay though, as oven fresh new track "Ghostfriend" further establishes them as rising stars on the electro scene. With a single release on the Pier's Zarcorp imprint potentially in the works and the Jersey kids' slow-burning lounge disco jams consistently putting them head and shoulders above most other US based electronic acts kicking around at the moment, look for Pink Stallone to do start seriously fucking shit up in the new year.

MP3: "Ghostfriend" - Pink Stallone

// Benedict Radcliffe //