The Cinematic Orchestra - Ma Fleur [2007]

Genre: Jazz, Acid Jazz, Nu Jazz, Electronica, Downtempo, Chill Out, Trip Hop

MySpace: thecinematicorchetras

My opinion & thought: The latest album from them so far, an album which is less jazz but more downtempo elements. Still sounds cool after all.

Stands out track(s): To Build A Home, Breathe, Time And Space

The Cinematic Orchestra is a British-based jazz and electronic outfit, created in the late 1990s by Jason Swinscoe. The band is signed to Ninja Tune independent record label. In addition to Swinscoe, the band includes former DJ Food member Patrick Carpenter on turntables, Luke Flowers (drums), Tom Chant (Saxophone), Nick Ramm (piano), Stuart McCallum (guitar) and Phil France (double bass). Former members include Jamie Coleman (trumpet), T. Daniel Howard (drums), and Alex James (piano). The most recent addition to the band is Mancunian guitarist Stuart McCallum.

Swinscoe and PC have also recorded together under the band name Neptune.

The Cinematic Orchestra's sound, in both live and studio contexts, employs a live band which improvises along with a turntablist and electronic elements such assamples provided by Swinscoe. In their studio releases Swinscoe will often remix the live source material to produce a finished product that is a seamless combination of live jazz improvisation with electronica, such that it is difficult to tell where the improvisation ends and the production begins.

Ma Fleur is the fourth full-length release and third proper studio album by The Cinematic Orchestra, released on 7 May 2007. The album is less jazz-influenced than the band's previous albums, but still retains their familiar downtempo sound. The North American version of the album contains 10 tracks in a different sequence than the UK version and omits "Child Song".

Tracklisting:

1. "To Build a Home" – 6:11
   • Featuring Patrick Watson
2. "Familiar Ground" – 4:34
   • Featuring Fontella Bass
3. "Child Song" – 5:14
4. "Music Box" – 5:03
   • Featuring Patrick Watson and Lou Rhodes
5. "Prelude" – 2:43
6. "As the Stars Fall" – 5:55
7. "Into You" – 3:02
   • Featuring Patrick Watson
8. "Ma Fleur" – 4:32
9. "Breathe" – 6:33
   • Featuring Fontella Bass
10. "That Home" – 1:43
    • Featuring Patrick Watson
11. "Time & Space" – 8:42
    • Featuring Lou Rhodes