The Cinematic Orchestra - Every Day (20th Anniversary Edition) (2023)

Over the two decades since the album’s pioneering release It’s easy to see the band’s influence; jazz is all around us, with acclaimed artists from Kamasi Washington to Sons of Kemet and dozens more, London and LA have recently produced scenes more prolific than anyone expected. BADBADNOTGOOD have provided jazz soundtracks to high fashion shows, and Kendrick Lamar has put the genre at the top of the charts. The way the band moved beyond its initial jazz influences into a sort of transcendental orchestration combined with the contemporary elegant electronics now used by artists like Ólafur Arnalds and Floating Points, artists they have helped forge a path for, started to really reach fruition with the release of “Every Day”.

Across its seven flawless, soaring tracks, the group (led by founding member J.Swinscoe alongside longtime musical collaborator Dominic Smith) took you on a journey through classic soul, jazz, choral pieces, sinking horn riffs, throbbing harp b-lines, minimalism and more with a soul deeper than the ocean. And with guests of the calibre of Fontella Bass (the writer and performer of '60s soul masterpiece ‘Rescue Me’ and member of free jazz renegades the Art Ensemble of Chicago) and UK music legend Roots Manuva (whose soaring, philosophical contribution to "All Things To All Men" is a firm fan favourite), you know that you're in for something special. Pitchfork agreed, giving it a 8.6 review upon release.

Since debuting with “Motion”, in 1999, The Cinematic Orchestra have sold hundreds of thousands of albums, generated almost half a billion streams and enjoyed critical support from the likes of Pitchfork, The Guardian, New York Times, Le Monde, Resident Advisor, Fader, Crack, Rolling Stone, Gilles Peterson, Benji B, Jason Bentley and Mary Anne Hobbs. In 2007, The “Ma Fleur” album was recognised for its bold departure from the group’s sonic traditions; in the years since, it’s been continuously celebrated, with tracks like ‘To Build A Home’ reaching huge audiences. The band have performed to larger and larger audiences and sold out the likes of London's Royal Albert Hall, Philharmonie de Paris, Rome’s Auditorium Park Della and the Sydney Opera House. Coachella, Glastonbury, Fuji Rock, Montreux and Sonar have all played host to the band’s much loved live performances. They have also appeared at the Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Awards for Stanley Kubrick and New York’s Summerstage with the legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin. Their original score for “The Crimson Wing”, included the track ‘Arrival of the Birds’ which featured in the Oscar Winning Stephen Hawking biopic "The Theory of Everything”. Their last album “To Believe,” charted in the Top 20 of the UK albums chart and #1 in the album vinyl chart.

This deluxe reissue proves once again, what was known all along, that in “Every Day”, that The Cinematic Orchestra truly created a timeless body of work.

Vocals - Fontella Bass, Roots Manuva, Niara Scarlett & Kiesha Johnson
Drums - Luke Flowers
Percussion - Milo Fell
Electric & Acoustic Bass / Rhodes / Electric Piano - Philip France
Electric Piano / Moog - John Ellis
Saxophone - Tom Chant
Harp - Rhodri Davis
RH 101 / Electronics / Turntables - Patrick Carpenter