DETAILS
TRACKS
Side A
- Table Of Contents / 0:39
- No Chaser / 4:01
- Wolves / 3:15
- Prince St. / 4:46
- Moment Of Silence / 3:56
- The Watchmaker / 3:16
- Cat Machine / 3:27
Side B
- Ghost Knife / 2:22
- Simple Man / 3:21
- Hourglass / 2:38
- Pigeon / 2:53
- Wick / 3:04
- Drill / 4:46
RELEASE DATE
08/10/2018
Portland’s 1939 Ensemble present their fourth release, “NEW CINEMA” - mixed by John McEntire (Tortoise/Stereolab) and features contributions from DJ Logic (Medeski, Martin & Wood) and Sam Coomes (Quasi.)
It is common, when describing an album, to reference the stylings of similar groups, thereby assuring the purchaser of a compatible listening experience. And yet, such a common task arrives at truly uncommon results when attempting to define and compare the multi-dimensional experience of 1939 Ensemble’s fourth release, “NEW CINEMA”.
If experiencing “NEW CINEMA” casually, the listener might catch moments of rhythmic guitar-and-hi-hat symbiosis akin to Battles, reverberating trumpet calls harkening to Miles Davis, effects-heavy swells that could have graced Jaga Jazzist’s mighty “Livingroom Hush” or head-turning beat drops as deep as Amon Tobin’s “Supermodified”. But “NEW CINEMA” refuses to be shoehorned within a Venn Diagram of genres and artists any more than the unique stablemates with whom we often compare 1939 Ensemble’s exceptional sound.
“NEW CINEMA” respectfully nods in the direction of its forebearers, but does not pay tribute; charting a course not taken, it is music adventurously played for the unbridled enjoyment of performance and collaboration, undertaken with a set of instruments and sounds that bravely challenges the listener’s preconceived notions of the tired genre status-quo. 1939 Ensemble’s José Medeles (THE BREEDERS) and David Coniglio once again call upon the fundamentals of heart-pounding drum beats beneath a palette of smoky vibraphone to craft what has become their defiant signature sound, but push the limit still further with a fervor that the founding duo of 1939 Ensemble seem to relish. This release acts as a true coming-of-age story for the group, solidifying the incomparable talents of multi-instrumentalists Josh Thomas (trumpet/synth) and Knate Carter (guitar/vibraphone) as the band arrives fully at the musical tale these four were destined to tell, together.
Joining the collaboration are DJ Logic, who’s turntables tear through the hard-hitting opening track “No Chaser”, and Sam Coomes (Quasi) who lends his talents to raw garage band banger “Wick”. Track after track, every song hits with the rare quality of a live performance that happened to be recorded in studio quality- a wide, open field of sound, alive with elements sometimes hidden on the first listen, little tonal dimensions waiting to be discovered play after play. It is an experience that rewards the careful listener while still providing unabashed fun for the casual toe-tapper.
And in between the rhythmical tenacity comes moments of quiet maturity, thoughtful offerings like closing track “Drill”; serene trumpet runs phasing in and out of ethereal analogue soundscapes so deep and familiar that you can almost imagine yourself on a neon-lit rooftop, in the rain, at the conclusion of a sci-fi epic not yet written. 1939 Ensemble is there with you as well- not simply to perform for you, but to collaborate with you, and to celebrate the stories woven with their sounds and your imagination in the theatre of “NEW CINEMA”.
EXPLORE

Old Unconscious
The Circular Ruins

Fruit Bats
Tripper (Deluxe Reissue)

Eyelids
No Jigsaw

Eyelids
A Colossal Waste Of Light

Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld
Last Stars First Light

Califone
villagers

Jenny Conlee
Tides: Pieces For Accordion And Piano

The Hackles
What a beautiful thing I have made

No. 2
First Love

José Medeles
Railroad Cadences & Melancholic Anthems

Eyelids
Everything That I See You See Better

The Delines
The Sea Drift

M. Ward
End of Amnesia

Motrik
MØØN: The Cosmic Electrics of MØTRIK

Infinite X's
Infinite X's

Longstocking
Once Upon A Time Called Now

Dave Depper
Europa

Motrik
Artificial Head

Slanted Floors
Pink Heaven

No. 2
You Might Be Right

John Cameron Mitchell & Eyelids
Turning Time Around EP

Eyelids
Jay Gonzalez Sings Eyelids Sings Jay Gonzalez Sings Eyelids

Team Dresch
Choices, Chances, Changes: Singles & Comptracks 1994-2000

Motrik
Safety Copy

The Builders And The Butchers
Dead Reckoning

The Geraldine Fibbers
Lost Somewhere Between The Earth and My Home

The Builders And The Butchers
Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well

Hallelujah The Hills
Movement Scorekeepers EP

Kind of Like Spitting
You Secretly Want Me Dead - RSD 2016

Sin Ropas
Mirror Bride

Slow Moses
Charity Binge

Red Red Meat
Red Red Meat

Red Red Meat
Jimmywine Majestic

Red Red Meat
Bunny Gets Paid

Hook & Anchor
Hook & Anchor

Eyelids
854

Red Red Meat
There's A Star Above The Manger Tonight

Fruit Bats
Mouthfuls

Pellet Gun
Great Divide

Portland Cello Project
Homage

Laura Gibson
La Grande

Laura Gibson
La Grande (single)

Dr. Frank
Andromeda Klein

Johanna Samuels
Bystander

Jon Brion
Meaningless

Blue Cranes
My Only Secret

Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld
Save It For Later

Mikaela Davis & Circles Around The Sun
After Sunrise
