Formed by Jason Swinscoe in 1999, The Cinema Orchestra released their first album Motion that same year on downtempo electronica label Ninja Tune. The band has stayed with the independent, experimental London label ever since.

As their name suggests, much of their music has a panoramic, evocative feel with delicate piano often blending with samples found by Swinscoe. They have worked extensively on film soundtracks, including a score for the experimental 1929 Soviet silent documentary film Man with a Movie Camera and The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos, a stunning nature documentary.

They returned in 2019 with To Believe, their first album in 12 years, then reissued fan favourite Ma Fleur in 2021.