Floating Points
Future Music|December 2019
Sam Shepherd unleashes a late contender for album of the year with new album Crush, showcasing his ever-evolving brand of modular alchemy and shapeshifting. Hamish Mackintosh visits the nerve centre
Hamish Mackintosh
Floating Points

The electronic music scene can be a curious mix of innovators, chancers and copyists, with the occasional genuine maverick. Sam Shepherd’s Floating Points most definitely falls into the mavericks camp.

Never one to tread water, his 2015 debut album, Elaenia, took the promise of his earlier EPs (Vacuum and Shadows) both released on his own Eglo imprint and blazed a trail further into the outer reaches of electronic sound, which helped cement Floating Points reputation both in the studio and on the live stage.

Sublime new album, Crush, really is another quantum leap forwards for Floating Points. From the jittery synths and strings of opening track Falaise, Shepherd takes us on an immersive sonic journey through the full capabilities of his musicianship and his armoury of desirable synths and drum machines. Crush is an intense but beautiful trip forged over five weeks in Shepherd’s subterranean Aladdin’s cave studio of flickering modulars and choice vintage gear.

FM eagerly went to London’s easterly parts to visit Shepherd in his electronic bunker (where his studio experiments/solderings are ably assisted by studio manager, Tim) to find out more about Crush and to catch the wave of Shepherd’s enthusiasm for all things Buchla, along with his desire to find a more expressive way of playing machines. Where to begin, really?

Reading the press release for Crush, it would appear we have Coachella to thank for the wonderful new direction of the album?

This story is from the December 2019 edition of Future Music.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 2019 edition of Future Music.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FUTURE MUSICView All
SONIC DESTRUCTION
Future Music

SONIC DESTRUCTION

From overdriven signal paths to rhythmic malfunctions, there’s plenty of creativity to be found by doing things just a little bit wrong

time-read
10+ mins  |
Autumn 2021
Feed Me
Future Music

Feed Me

EDM producer Jon Gooch revives his cartoonish Feed Me moniker. Danny Turner finds out how the use of live instrumentation changed his production approach

time-read
10+ mins  |
Autumn 2021
Exploring Akai MPC
Future Music

Exploring Akai MPC

Leo Maymind takes a detailed look at an iconic groovebox whose influence helped shape modern hip-hop and much more besides

time-read
8 mins  |
Autumn 2021
Liars
Future Music

Liars

Dissolving the contours of rock and electronics, Danny Turner charts the making of Liars’ 10th album with Angus Andrew and Laurence Pike

time-read
10+ mins  |
Autumn 2021
Jean-Michel Jarre
Future Music

Jean-Michel Jarre

The pioneering musician who introduced generations to futuristic sounds the first time around is at it again. He joins Matt Mullen to talk experiments in VR gigging, spatial audio and more...

time-read
10 mins  |
Autumn 2021
Noise
Future Music

Noise

With roots as far back as 1913, noise is the genre that’s also a state of mind

time-read
4 mins  |
Autumn 2021
1010 Music Bitbox mk2 £549
Future Music

1010 Music Bitbox mk2 £549

Rob Redman finds out whether this updated sampler box of tricks contains any more surprises

time-read
3 mins  |
Autumn 2021
Erica Synths and Sonic Potions LXR-02 £499
Future Music

Erica Synths and Sonic Potions LXR-02 £499

Rob Redman braces himself for another resurrected blast from the past

time-read
6 mins  |
Autumn 2021
Modal SKULPTsynth SE £169
Future Music

Modal SKULPTsynth SE £169

Modal are back with an update to their SKULPT synth. Bruce Aisher takes a listen to see if it can rustle up a big sound

time-read
3 mins  |
Autumn 2021
Reason Studios Reason 12 £399
Future Music

Reason Studios Reason 12 £399

Now in both DAW and plugin realms, Reason gains a sampler and refreshed Combinator. Si Truss investigates

time-read
3 mins  |
Autumn 2021