The Penguin Cafe Orchestra has always fascinated me as a group. Their eccentric take on music, which blends pop melodies with weirder fringe experimentation, has always been a huge influence on me.
Many of the tracks have a childlike sense of wonder to them; an openness to try things that many would be too afraid to try. And yet by doing so, many of the tracks resonate with my emotions on a fundamental level.
“The Sound Of Someone You Love Who’s Going Away And It Doesn’t Matter” is a track that perfectly encapsulates their ability to tap into your emotions. No percussive instrumentation is used throughout (although a hollow body guitar is tapped in a rhythm for a small section). Instead, this instrumental features a few electric guitars, a bass guitar, an electric piano and violins, which interweave to create a piece that’s both wistful and regretful:
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