Penny Ikinger presents her debut album 'Electra'.

'Electra' is an audacious production. Penny Ikinger mixes heavy rock and electronic distortion layers with folk refrains and pop delights. Known for her career as a guitarist with Australian acts WET TAXIS & LOUIS TILLETT, Ikinger has also played with other Australian legends like KIM SALMON, SACRED COWBOYS & TEX PERKINS. She now takes the stand as a singer/songwriter - a lone star.

This outstanding debut was released on CD by the American label Career Records in 2003 and has excited reviewers across Australia, the USA and beyond. Career Records is the brainchild of the legendary Radio Birdman guitarist DENIZ TEK and Montana based musician RON SANCHEZ. 'Electra" was released on vinyl by Bang! Records (Basque Country, Spain) in 2006.

“All woman and all business - the Australian singer-guitarist - a graduate of the Radio Birdman school of axe warfare- unveils a fetching line of balladry here: black-hearted folk song draped in fuzz, topped with a dark, baby-doll whisper...imagine Nico channelling Sandy Denny in front of Blue Oyster Cult - and you're close”.
David Fricke, Senior Editor, Rolling Stone (USA), Nov 2003

'Electra' features ten tracks produced by PENNY IKINGER and Hothouse studio engineer CRAIG HARNATH. 'Electra' received accolades world-wide. Critics from the prestigious New York magazines The Village Voice and The Big Takeover placed Electra in their Top Ten albums of 2003 (#2 for both). Electra also appeared in more Top Ten lists in America, Canada and Australia. Ikinger was awarded an International Touring Grant from Arts Victoria and toured the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to promote her album in 2004.

"…combining a dangerously seductive voice with a guitar she makes sound so alive it breathes…"
Fred E Gostein, City Search (Australia)

Electra is an enhanced CD and includes a video for the track Kathleen. Directed by RACHAEL LUCAS this video was a finalist at The Melbourne Film Festival and received national airplay. Penny Ikinger also contributed music to the soundtrack of Bondi Tsunami, a Japanese surf road movie by RACHAEL LUCAS, released in Australia in 2004. Penny joined SALMON as guitarist in the big band featuring five guitarists and two drummers led by Scientist Kim Salmon in 2004.

SELECT QUOTES:

"All woman and all business - the Australian singer-guitarist - a graduate of the Radio Birdman school of axe warfare- unveils a fetching line of balladry here: black-hearted folk song draped in fuzz, topped with a dark, baby-doll whisper...imagine Nico channelling Sandy Denny in front of Blue Oyster Cult - and you're close.”
David Fricke, Senior Editor - American Rolling Stone (USA)

“Incredibly cool femme fatale laid-back noise rock by Australian guitar beauty … Ikinger’s voice and amazing guitar work makes this one helluva solid piece of female rock…” (Lowcut USA *****)
Lowcut (USA) - Top 5 Albums for 2003 (International)

“Toe-nail polish and noise guitar. Sexy, silvery sandals and breathy, twisting and turning vocals. I bet they stare at her guitar and worship at her feet back in her native Australia...”
Sally Green, Mohair Sweets (USA) Oct – Nov 2003

“Penny Ikinger is ready to take America by storm… It is the closest any female—hell, any human—has come to replicating the virtuostic majesty of Hendrix. Upstairs, I'm sure the big guy is smiling…”
Jeff Penczak, Fakejazz (USA) 24 Oct 2003

“… with Ikinger's aggressive white-noise cacophonies of guitar counter pointed by the compelling coo of her voice, each song comes on like a … siren's call from the depths…”
Sophie Best, The Age (Australia)  5/12/2003 ****

“…it’s like she’s harnessed the concentrated energy of a thunderstorm … and it’s straining to explode as she performs all kinds of unnatural acts and inventions with her instrument…”
Dream Magazine (USA) 2004

“…A fabulous album loaded with cool and seductive songs … Ikinger's guitar is noisy and abrasive and provides a nifty counterpoint to her sultry and subdued vocals … Highly recommended “
Steve Gardner, The Big Takeover Magazine (NYC, USA) Top Ten for 2003 (#2)

“Stunning…Dense with thick, distorted chords and swampy moans, but with graceful, delicate moments as well, the disc is primal, raw, and gut-wrenching…”
Shawn Conner, Georgia Straight, (Vancouver, Canada) 22 Apr 2004