Flying Away [IMPORT]

Smoke City

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 5, 1999)
• Original Release Date: November 24, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sony/Bmg Int'l
• ASIN: B000024VY1
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #100,815 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Underwater Love

2. Devil Mood

3. With You

4. Numbers

5. Mr. Gorgeous (And Miss Curvaceous)

6. Aguas de Março (Joga Bossa)

7. Dark Walk

8. Jamie Pan

9. Giulietta

10. Flying Away

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

1997 debut album for London based trip-hop act with a distinctively South American flavor inspired in part by vocalist Nina Miranda's childhood. Best known for the track 'Underwater Love' that was featured in a successful Levis' ad campaign, the album's other highlights include, 'Numbers' and 'Dark Walk' and Miranda's sultry vocals in English, French and Portuguese. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TOUGH to find at first, February 7, 2002

By	bordersj2 (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I love this group - they're one of my all time favorites. This particular album was released in 97' but has since then been re-released in 2001 in the US as well as Europe again. Smoke City had ben gaining a strong cult following since "Underwater Love" and the musicians in this group are exceptional - from Nina Miranda to Christian Franck to Marc Brown. Nina Miranda has done work with many other artists on their albums - from Bebel Gilberto to Compost's artists. Christian Franck is also featured with the group "Da Lata" adn Marc Brown, well, is all over the music scene.

I highly recommend this cd. It's very original, Nina Miranda has a very charming voice, the instrumentation is great and they really are a talented group. I liked every track. PICK IT UP. And if you really like this album, check out Da Lata's album and of cours, Smoke City's newest album, "Heroes of Nature". I don't think it's as strong as this one, but it's still very good. My favorite tracks on this one are "Joga Bossa, With You, Jamie Pan, Numbers and Underwater Love". But all tracks are fantastic, again.

FYI: They've appeared in TONS of compilations... especially chillout ones (Ministry, Chillout Room, etc.). Some that may have slipped through the cracks though: Brasil 2Mil (great comp), Ondha Sonora - Red Hot + Lisbon, Red Hot + Gershwin.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In a devil of a mood, May 18, 2004

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

British band Smoke City debuted with "Flying Away," a lush trip-hop album with some hints of sultry South American music woven in there. Imagine Portishead doing bossa nova and samba, and you'll have some idea of what "Flying Away" is made up of.

Starting off with the fluidly sensuous "Underwater Love," the album jolts into the smoky, thumping "Devil Mood," sexy ballads (the slow "With You," the gentle "Giulietta), shimmery Latin music ("Numbers," the pleasant "Aguas De Marco"), and opulent trip-hop ("Dark Walk") before wrapping up with the sweet title track.

"Flying Away" is one of those albums that you just can't pin a label on. To call it one thing -- Latin music, trip-hop, jazz -- would be to leave out everything else this album is. Instead it's a seamless blend of all three, mixed in with some odd sound effects and beautiful vocals.

Smoke City's instrumentation is a weird combination of the electronica and organic: we've got beeps, blips and bloops mixed in with an acoustic guitar. And thrown in are heartbeats, crickets, muffled muttering, maracas and some heavy ringing percussion. The lyrics seem simple, but come across as far more than they are ("With you I felt love/With you I felt pain/With you I was me/And a bit of you too").

Vocalist Nina Miranda's sweet vocals are what makes this album so memorable. She croons in Portuguese, French and English, managing a sultry croon one moment and wistful ethereality the next. Not to mention some ad libs of her own, like the high-pitched yelps of "Devil Mood," her mumbled mutterings, or the quizzical "The body? Yes, the body!" comment.

The sensual sounds of Smoke City are at their best in "Flying Away," full of fire and water and wind. This textured collection of brilliant trip-hop is a must-have for music fans.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite simply, my favourite CD of all time, April 23, 2001

By	"chiaretta" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

I first heard this album in a cafe in Paris in July 1999 and subsequently became obsessed with owning it. Having listened to it constantly for almost two years, I think I can safely say that this is NOT a record you get sick of a few weeks after purchase. Every note is pure magic. Nina Miranda (lead vocalist) is an absolute goddess, and for those out there who can't get enough of her sultry voice, I suggest you check out her VERY sexy duet with Bebel Gilberto on Bebel's album 'Tanto Tempo'. If there was only one album left to listen to, for me it would have to be 'Flying Away' - the album's dreaminess, sexiness, jazzyness, trip-hoppiness, funkiness and sassy humour can suit any mood. I urge you fervently - go flying away with Smoke City.