Movietone – Day And Night

Movietone's Day And Night returns in its first reissue since the album's original 1997 release, bringing one of the quieter treasures from Bristol's early-90s experimental orbit back into print. The band emerged from the same Planet Records-adjacent scene as Flying Saucer Attack, Third Eye Foundation, Crescent and Hood, but their approach was gentler and more inward: hushed vocals, slow guitar figures and spacious arrangements that let the songs unfold at their own pace.

That restraint is the album's real character. Source notes consistently place it between indie rock and atmospheric post-rock, and the music bears that out in pieces like Sun Drawing, the skeletal Blank Like Snow, and the long closing The Crystallisation of Salt At Night, which gradually widens into a richer ensemble piece. AllMusic heard the record's subtle experiments and cool vocal delivery as part of what makes it such a distinctive listen, while later writing on the band has pointed to Day And Night as a more refined step in Movietone's catalogue.

This 2026 Domino edition is more than a straight repress. It adds the previously unreleased Phonograph Space, described as originating from the original sessions and transferred from tape, and includes a new booklet designed by Kate Wright with photographs and archival material from the period, plus new liner notes by Stephen McRobbie of The Pastels. For a record that has gradually built a cult following through reissues and renewed interest from newer listeners, that extra context feels especially worthwhile.

Features

• Previously unreleased bonus recording: Phonograph Space, drawn from the original sessions and transferred from tape
• Booklet designed by Kate Wright with archival photographs and session material
• New liner notes by Stephen McRobbie (The Pastels)

Reviews

• less extreme and more refined Day and Night - Pitchfork
• a striking, unique album - AllMusic.com