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Apr 05, 2019 The Cinematic Orchestra By Haydon Spenceley

The first studio album in 12 years from Ninja Tune stalwarts The Cinematic Orchestra is a thing of beauty. Full of weight, light and shade, even as it contains only seven tracks. Not a moment is wasted, every stroke is crucial to the sum of the whole. This fine band, led by Jason Swinscoe and Dominic Smith, feature a bevy of jazz heavyweights in their lineup so great it feels unfair to single any of them out. But the sheer weight of the combined discographies of each of the contributors makes it clear that a new album from this collective, especially one released after so long away, is an important moment.

And so it proves. Right from the off, the reverb-laden guitar picking of the title track, augmented by the soaring vocal of guest Moses Sumney, feels understatedly devastating. And so it builds from such august beginnings. A song, a whole album evoking thoughts and questions around belief, what is worth believing in and what difference belief in something can make unfolds, drawing in the listener ever deeper.

On the driving single “A Caged Bird/Imitation of Life,” Roots Manuva raps penetratingly and languidly in equal measure. “Lessons” unfurls over an intense nine minutes, another in a series of songs given full room to grow and lead us to exactly where we need to go. “Zero One/This Fantasy” crescendos to an unsettling high point as guest Grey Reverend provides another vocal tour de force, before the song falls off the cliff into some lush strings. While closing track “A Promise” makes full use of its’ 11 and a half minutes to recall the best of Jon Hopkins, but with a twist only a band of the caliber of The Cinematic Orchestra can bring.

This is a crucial album. It’s great to have The Cinematic Orchestra back again. Let’s hope it’s not 12 years before we hear from them once more. (www.cinematicorchestra.com)

Author rating: 7/10