Search - Cinematic Orchestra :: Motion

Another CD worth buying of Ninjatune....

J. Michael Showalter | Nashville, TN United States | 08/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a good Cd that bodes well for the future of music. On this album, producer J Swincoe took loops off of old jazz records-- his favorites-- got musicians to learn how to play them-- then sampled THEM and put them back together. The resulting is a slower, more user-friendly Amon Tobin (without the thundering machine gun drum and bass.... that makes his stuff extra special....) It's Portishead without the female vocal perhaps (which hurts my ears....). Maybe the best way to describe this CD is like smoother DJ Shadow who is more reliant on jazz (and less on hip-hop) as his source material. Or like DJ Cam on "Mad Blunted Jazz" perhaps.... toned down a little....If you've not ever bought this or other ones of the Ninja Tune records.... start with this one.... then get Amon Tobin and Kid Koala and the rest....This is a tight record... though it's intended more for jazz fans than for electronic fiends or hiphop heads..."

Don't kid yourself!

Roger Fingas | Ottawa, ON, Canada | 05/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Motion" is jazz - there's no way around it.Disregard comparisons to artists such as Amon Tobin and Portishead. (No offense, J.M..) Tobin and company may be good, and use similar means of production, but their sound is distinctly electronic. The Cinematic Orchestra, on the other hand, sounds EXACTLY like a jazz ensemble playing in a dingy, smoke-filled club.This is a good thing. If you hate jazz, this album will convince you that it's not all Kenny G and airy ad jingles. "Motion" is the soundtrack to film noir never made. It's perfect for rainy days of contemplation, or just for chilling after you've come home from a DJ set. In that sense perhaps the comparisons J.M. made are useful, because it's obvious that all of the artists he/she mentioned have the same goals, inspiration, and talent.A note: if you live in Ottawa, be sure to catch the Orchestra live on June 19th. They'll be at the Babylon, 317 Bank. Be there by 10:30 if you want good seats."

A Pleasant Breakaway From The Usual Electronic Approach

Amygdala6 | washington, DC USA | 07/30/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Motion has paved another path through one of the leading experimental electronica labels [Ninjatune], which isn't the easiest thing to do when sharing the same distributer as the likes of Amon Tobin and Funki Porcini. J. Swinscoe, the brainchild of the Orchestra, has pumped new life into the future of music by combining elements of jazz, classical, and Dub. Rather than finding sources for his sampling elsewhere; however, he has chosen to sample the works of his own arrangements, the resulting layers of music sounding fresh and original.Motion is definately on the darker side; The songs redefine how music is both composed and performed through the use of sombre grooves and earnest angst-ridden layering. Crashing symbols tumble over loops of wistfully broody guitar and upright bass melodies with hints of horns and strings. At times, the sonic structure is reminiscent of the more emotional era of Talk Talk and Hector Zazou, with the element of Late-60's Davis and Coltrain.More organic and sensual than other members of the Ninjatune Posse, Cinematic Orchestra delivers to the listener the missing soundtrack to a rainy French Noire film that has yet to be shot: Nice and sombre."