Various Artists – The Cinematic Orchestra Presents In Motion #1 (Ninja Tune/ June 25 2012)

By Helena Cantone

The coming together of sound and image can be magical: just think of Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmush, Quentin Tarantino and Spike Lee. Live music accompanied and interpreted the moods of the first silent films long before they became ‘talking pictures’, with musical scores dedicated to them. The Cinematic Orchestra (TCO) is following this tradition.

With In Motion #1, Jason Swinscoe of TCO, conjures up feelings and emotions in this meditative and atmospheric collection of compositions. The album presents new interpretations of the work of avant-garde filmmakers; from René Clair’s surrealist classic ‘Entr’acte’ (The Cinematic Orchestra) to Peter Tscherkassky’s ‘Outer Space’ (Dorian Concept & Tom Chant) and “future classic films” as Swinscoe suggests.

The result is an interesting fusion between electronica, free jazz improvisation and classical music. Does it stand alone as an album? While it is definitely emotive, I’m not convinced that the music achieves what it sets out to do. The brilliance of Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota and John Lurie is, in my opinion, that their music is so inextricably interlinked to the films (and times) that they wrote the scores for. Their work is truly a marriage made in heaven. You can close your eyes listening and be transported back to the films as well as the memories that become part of your own soundtrack and that of a whole generation.

TCO members and collaborators – pianist Austin Peralta from LA, Grey Reverend from New York, Dorian Concept from Austria, Tom Chant – will be performing at London’s Barbican on June 30 2012.