When ‘End Titles…Stories for Film’ was released last summer it seemed clear that its most effective music was the most obviously cinematic, rather than the inward-facing rock songs that more often than not grew out of the descriptive interludes. It seems UNKLE might have thought so too, for they continued to work with composer and cellist Philip Sheppard on making orchestral, ambient arrangements of the material. Their work has handsomely paid off on this package, available as a handsome limited edition CD or as a download. Sheppard’s cello adds a distinctive, raking sound to some of the tracks, but what’s really impressive is the orchestration. Where most people layer the strings too heavily, James Lavelle and co add brass and wind to give more distinctive colours. Darkly shaded it may still be, but this is a real advance for Lavelle and his band, while remaining a convincing piece of ambience in its own right. Expect to see more of them in Hollywood soon!
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
