The Cinematic Orchestra is a UK-based jazz and electronic outfit, created i… Read Full Bio ↴The Cinematic Orchestra is a UK-based jazz and electronic outfit, created in 1999 by composer/programmer/multi-instrumentalist Jason Swinscoe, which records on the Ninja Tune independent record label.

Other members include Tom Chant (saxophone), Phil France (double bass), Luke Flowers (drums), Nick Ramm (piano), Stuart McCallum (guitar); former members include Jamie Coleman (trumpet), T. Daniel Howard (drums), Alex James (piano), and Patrick "PC" Carpenter (turntables).

In both live and studio context, the Cinematic Orchestra employ a live band which improvises along with a turntablist and electronic elements such as samples provided by Swinscoe. In their studio releases Swinscoe will often remix the live source material to produce a finished product that is a seamless combination of live jazz improvisation with electronics, such that it is difficult to tell where the improvisation ends and the production begins. It is worth mentioning that in the sound of the Cinematic Orchestra the role of traditional solo instruments, such as piano or wind instruments, is not the same as in traditional jazz; instead of performing intricate solos they provide a mature accompaniment environment and quite often there is more space for the drums and the double bass to have a lead role.

The Cinematic Orchestra have been noted for their new score to the classic 1929 Dziga Vertov's Ukrainian film "Man with a Movie Camera". They have worked on two other scores: they recorded some tracks for "Ils se marièrent et eurent beaucoup d'enfants" (2004) and made the music for the Disney Nature movie "The Crimson Wing" (2009).

The Cinematic Orchestra released their latest album "Ma Fleur" on 7th May 2007. The album features vocals from Patrick Watson, Fontella Bass and Lou Rhodes. In 2010 their compilation Late Night Tales followed.

They have started their own record label: Motion Audio Records. One record has been released by Lou Rhodes. More releases will follow, including Grey Reverend.

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Dog Shelter
The Cinematic Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Maze, psychopathic daze, I create this waste
Back away from tangents on the verge of drastic ways
Can't escape this place, I deny your face
Sweat gets in my eyes, I think I'm slowly dying

Put me in a homemade cellar
Put me in a hole for shelter

Someone hear me please, all I see is hate
I can hardly breathe and I can hardly take it
Hands on my face over bearing, I can't get out
Lost, ran at my own cost hearing laughter, scoffed

Learning from the rush, detached from such
And such bleak all around me, weak listening, incomplete
I am not a dog but I'm the one your dogging
I am in a buried kennel, I have never felt so final

Someone find me please, losing all reserve
I am fucking gone, I think I'm fucking dying
You all stare but you'll never see
There is something inside me

There is something in you I despise
Cut me, show me, enter
I am willing and able and never any danger to myself
Knowledge in my pain, knowledge in my pain

Or was my tolerance a phase?
Empathy, out of my way, I can't die, purity

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Cinematic Orchestra's song Dog Shelter provide a raw look into the struggling and agonizing mind of a person. The singer starts by describing themselves as being in a maze and having a psychopathic daze, creating waste and heading towards drastic ways. The singer feels trapped and unable to escape, denying the reality of the world around them. The lines "sweat gets in my eyes, I think I'm slowly dying" showcase the suffocating feeling of being stuck in a cycle of toxicity.

The chorus of the song has the singer calling out for someone to hear them, someone who can provide them with the help they need. But all they're met with is hate, and they struggle to breathe and take it all in. The bridge "I am not a dog but I'm the one your dogging. I am in a buried kennel, I have never felt so final" compares the singer to a dog trapped in a buried kennel, unable to escape or make a change. The singer has lost everything, and feels the finality of their situation.

The final lines "knowledge in my pain, knowledge in my pain. Or was my tolerance a phase? Empathy, out of my way, I can't die, purity" showcase a search for clarity and understanding. The singer seems to be searching for answers in their pain, questioning whether their tolerance of the world around them was just a temporary phase. The declaration "I can't die, purity" showcases the singer's hope to stay alive and find something pure despite their pain and trauma.

Line by Line Meaning

Maze, psychopathic daze, I create this waste
I feel lost and crazy, and I am responsible for my own misery.

Back away from tangents on the verge of drastic ways
I need to stop myself from making impulsive, dangerous choices.

Can't escape this place, I deny your face
I am trapped in a bad situation and refuse to acknowledge the people or things causing me pain.

Sweat gets in my eyes, I think I'm slowly dying
I experience physical and emotional exhaustion, and it feels like it is killing me.

Put me in a homemade cellar
I want to be isolated and hidden away from the world.

Put me in a hole for shelter
I need a safe space to hide from the outside world.

Someone hear me please, all I see is hate
I am crying out for help because all I can perceive in the world is negativity and hostility.

I can hardly breathe and I can hardly take it
I am struggling to cope with the overwhelming pain and stress in my life.

Hands on my face over bearing, I can't get out
I feel trapped and suffocated by circumstances beyond my control.

Lost, ran at my own cost hearing laughter, scoffed
I feel aimless and foolish, having acted on my own recklessness and naivety, while others mock me.

Learning from the rush, detached from such
I am trying to learn from my past mistakes, and I am trying to detach myself from unhealthy experiences.

And such bleak all around me, weak listening, incomplete
I am surrounded by sadness and hopelessness, and feel inadequate in how I cope with it.

I am not a dog but I'm the one your dogging
I am not subhuman, but I feel that others treat me like an animal to be abused or ignored.

I am in a buried kennel, I have never felt so final
I feel trapped and powerless, as if I am buried alive with no hope of escape.

Someone find me please, losing all reserve
I need someone to help me because I am losing control of myself and my situation.

I am fucking gone, I think I'm fucking dying
I am at my breaking point, and feel like I am on the verge of total collapse.

You all stare but you'll never see
Others look at me, but they do not understand the depth of my pain and struggle.

There is something inside me
I believe there is a part of me that is special and resilient, despite all the hardship I endure.

There is something in you I despise
I hate a part of what others represent to me, or how they make me feel.

Cut me, show me, enter
I am willing to undergo pain and explore new experiences to find meaning in my life.

I am willing and able and never any danger to myself
I feel confident in my ability to face challenges and grow as a person, without causing harm to myself or others.

Knowledge in my pain, knowledge in my pain
I am learning from the difficult experiences I have faced, and using that knowledge to better understand myself and others.

Or was my tolerance a phase?
I am questioning whether my ability to endure hardship and overcome adversity is a temporary state or a permanent part of who I am.

Empathy, out of my way, I can't die, purity
I value and desire purity and life, and sometimes the empathy I feel for others is a hindrance in achieving those goals.

Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY

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