You can’t help but be transcended by the ethereal strings that open Floating Point’s latest album, ‘Crush’. With each string arranged among a glitching consistency, the producer manages to carry these juxtaposing elements of organic and synthetic throughout the body of work. Used as a starting point for the exploration of his sound design, Floating Points brings his most expansive work yet. Equal parts neuroscientist and producer, it’s clear Sam Sheperd has tapped into a heightened sense for creating unorthodox compositions, matched with an impeccable attention to detail. Recruiting a number of enduring textures from sophisticated synths to the graceful selection of string work, these key components bring together his complex and layered numbers.
‘Crush’ serves as a natural progression in the London-based producer’s sound. Finding composure among the most chaotic moments, Floating Points uses this disordered approach to contrast the ravishing melodies and cinematic quality of the album. ‘Bias’ kicks in the producer’s club sensibilities, opting for a steady garage beat that later builds into a brooding work of tech house. ‘Karakul’ introduces the producer to new territory, completely demolishing the concept of song structure, as he pushes eccentric synths to undetectable spaces of IDM.
More often than so, electronic music can feel disconnected from our current events, however with ‘Crush’, Floating Points uses his songs to reflect dissatisfaction and anxiety towards current issues. The urgency absorbed in this album’s sonic persistence and sporadic crescendos does more than share Shepherd’s new sound direction. Rather, ‘Crush’ is a sagacious summary of the turmoil and tranquility coexisting among our contemporary world today.
Stream: Ninja Tune
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