Penguin Prison has been on the rise for a few years now having had support by artists like RAC, Keljet, and the Knocks in addition to putting out countless remixes of artists like Lana Del Rey and Kimbra. But what really sets Penguin Prison apart from other artists in the indie dance scene is Chris Glover’s apparent love of popular music from all circles of the musical stratosphere.
His most recent single, “Calling Out,” plays out like the kind of Hall & Oates track that we listened to on the radio in the backseat of our parents’ cars as children. It has indelible synths, a bassline that hops around like a kid on a pogo stick, and vibrant guitar licks sunnier than a beach in Miami. The wow factor of this track, however, is Glover’s vocal delivery. He channels the modest sensibility of Lionel Richie and the determined howl of Daryl Hall in ways that make him a pop singer without laying waste to his indie cred. And it’s this air of honest vulnerability that steals the show because while his latest is injected with familiar themes to make it accessible to mainstream listeners, he maintains an unfathomable quality that professes that he is only here to make music that feels right.
And luckily for Chris Glover, this is right in all the best ways.
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