Phil France - The Swimmer (2017) [Hi-Res]

As the principal collaborator alongside Jason Swinscoe in the Cinematic Orchestra, Phil France is responsible for some of the most heartrendingly beautiful music created in recent times. Co-writing, arranging and producing on the Cinematic Orchestra albums including Everyday, Man with the Movie Camera, Ma Fleur and also the triple award winning soundtrack for the Crimson Wing nature documentary, France's skills have always extended beyond his bass-lines. Now living in Manchester, he initially made the move back to his native Yorkshire a couple of years ago after some time in London, where he set to work teaching himself the finer details of programming and began work on the Swimmer. Deeply emotive and epic in scale, it draws it's influences from the great second wave of film composers including John Carpenter and Vangelis, as well as minimalist composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass. France's skill, in this album, as well as his work with the Cinematic Orchestra, is in soundtracking human emotion - it is full of heartbreak and recovery, strength, honesty and frailty, it is meditative and hopeful. 4 Star reviews in Mojo, Q, Q oline, Louder Than War, Music OMH, Uncut, Loud & Quiet, Crack.