Customer Reviews

Motion

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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...

"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.

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.

to begin i just wanna say that motion is the first album of the cinematic orchestra, and not the second as some people stated.
in second place: motion is the best cinematic album.
if your looking for a jazzy electronic sound with a great swing and beat, this is the one you should get...

I was excited to learn that The Cinematic Orchestra had more albums other than "Motion". After reading the reviews, it seems this album was the lower on the totem pole, however, this album is excellent. It's jazzy, the rhythm grabs you, and it ties together perfectly with a electronic feel. This is an album for anyone who appriciates contemporary jazz. Every track is worth listening to, and it doesn't get old. I am very ambitious about purchasing thier other albums after hearing this one.

A really innovative fusion [with lowercase "f"] between bebop/cool jazz and modern sample-and-loop based electronic music. The standard small-combo jazz sound is produced through a seamless mixture of sampled records, live instruments, and samples of live instruments, but the cut-n-paste approach is never as obvious as on the usual trip-hop or illbient CDs. Whether you look at it as modernized Coltrane/Miles/Mingus, or as a smoother DJ Shadow, it's pretty wicked stuff.

The true antecedent of this group is Soft Machine, particular the late-60s-through-early-70s incarnation that produced the Third and Fourth albums. Cinematic Orchestra updates it with touches of electronica and edgier rhythms, but it's really uncannily similar... and just as excellent. Moody space jazz for deep contemplation.

The first time you listen to this album, you'll think "NO, it can't be! Music can't be this good!" or you'll be stunned and will have to listen to it a few more times to realize that the sound is real! It's great music for sitting in a dark room, or going on a night drive, while being alone. I kind of feel sorry for people who haven't heard Cinematic Orchestra.. But hopefully, one day, they will be enlightened.

All the tracks have such perfect bass, drums, and sax playing, looping, and sampling. "Night of the Iguana" and "Channel 1 Suite" are the highlights, for me, but all the songs are great.
All the songs are slow, except for "Ode to the Big Sea", but they aren't somber, or sad, they're dark, mysterious, neutral, black and white. To sum it up, ...

The Cinematic Orchestra has always been a favorite of mine. Motion is an awesome work that's worth every cent. The music is cutting edge, intense and spiritual. These songs put me in a great mood every time I listen to it, and it stays in my cd player. Get it, the cd is fantastic!

This is the coolest cd ive bough in the last 6 months. Its orginal and fresh. If you are a fan of miles davis, mazzy star, and/or portishead you should definately get this one. I wish theree was more music like this out there. Awesome. Definate 5 STARS!