Man with the Movie Camera

Ninja Tune releases a super hip prog, jazzy, experimental all instrumental composition. Strings, drums, keys, guits, full band stuff. Swingy chill and sexy, combining the hipness of the new millennium with classic Miles Davis era experimental prog. Most songs center on repetition, hypnotism. Many songs meld together; short ones are intros to the following tunes. Excellent!! Play!!

(This was originally performed as a soundtrack to silent films by the 1920’s era Soviet filmmaker Vertov. These films are incredible, the embodiment of Soviet Socialist era art deco imagery: dramatic visuals making men AND women appear superhuman, images of wheat combines that border on a tank invasion, steel mills that look like they stream never ending fields of molten lava, streetcars that run endlessly on time, never breaking down. Of course the regime used these films as propaganda but the art is undeniable and powerful. When I saw these films I had no idea that they were silent because someone somehow had added a soundtrack of grinding intense industrial noise that I assumed was original and I was blown away. Frankly, I can’t see this stuff as soundtrack to those very intense films, far too chill, but that’s just me. Regardless, this is a great CD and don’t ever pass a chance to view Vertov films.)

1,2) very brief intro tones
3) somber slow
4) kalimba type feel turns slow sexy ¾ and a full band appears, cool distorted electric piano solo, runs long
5) jazzy beat, slow chill phrasing
6) brief(er) chill upright bass with noise, horn, intro to next song
7) builds slowly to intense layers
8) cool pitzicato with clarinet, cool beats, noises appear, driving feel
9) horn blasts brief
10) piano, bowed bass and strange panned noises
11) Rhodes funkiness, funky funky
12) somber piano solo tune
13) reprise of track 11
14) swingy ¾ brief
15) starts with hypnotic upright bass line, things fall in slowly, reminds me of miles davis chillness
16) weird high pitched synth noises precede piano crash, cool intro to next tune
17) epic mid paced heavy beat feel