Penguin Cafe have released their new album Handfuls of Night, the highly anticipated follow up to their acclaimed 2017 LP The Imperfect Sea. 

Handfuls of Night began life after Greenpeace commissioned Jeffes to write four pieces of music corresponding to four breeds of penguins, to help raise awareness for the endangered Antarctic seas. A fundraising evening at EartH in Hackney followed, where Penguin Cafe premiered the four songs named after their feathered counterparts to a sold out audience; the rousing contemporary folk inflected Chinstrap, the mournful and minimalistic Adelie, stoic and rhythmic The Life of an Emperor and the wistful, string-laden Gentoo Origin. But both the album and Penguin Cafe as a project have origins that reach further back:

“In 2005 I was asked to join an expedition re-creating Scott’s last Antarctic trip in 1911 for the BBC, using the same Edwardian equipment. I’m no explorer but I was keen, especially as there’s a family link – Scott was married to my great grandmother before she married my great grandfather." — Arthur Jeffes

Join Arthur for a special edition of Classic Album Sundays in celebration of National Album Day where he will be discussing Handfuls of Night and the story behind it with BBC 6 Music presenter Colleen Murphy, at the Royal Albert Hall on October 9.

"Such is its mastery of slowly uncoiling drama you can almost taste the salt in the breeze" ★★★★ — MOJO

"Arthur Jeffes' music has a direct clarity. Dramatic swells and sweeps showcase the jaw-dropping landscape. Most importantly, though, the music carries an environmental message, which is a critical issue for this generation." — A Closer Listen

"One of their most impeccable moments to date" ★★★★ — Music OMH

· watch the video for Chapter
· order Handfuls of Night on LP/CD/DL
· book tickets for Classic Album Sundays