Crush (Floating Points album)

Last updated

Crush
Floating Points - Crush.png
Studio album by
Released18 October 2019 (2019-10-18)
Genre Electronic [1]
Length44:01
Label Ninja Tune
Producer Sam Shepherd
Floating Points chronology
Late Night Tales: Floating Points
(2019)
Crush
(2019)
Promises
(2021)
Singles from Crush
  1. "LesAlpx"
    Released: 18 June 2019 [2]
  2. "Bias"
    Released: April 7, 2020 [3]

Crush is the second studio album by British electronic musician Sam Shepherd, released under his alias Floating Points on 18 October 2019 by Ninja Tune. [4] [5]

Contents

Background and recording

Shepherd began work on the album following a 2017 tour with the xx. [6] Taking inspiration from German krautrock band Harmonia's 2007 album Live 1974 , Shepherd played 30 minute improvisational sets using only a Buchla synthesizer and a Korg drum machine. [6] Upon his return to the studio, Shepherd used the same equipment as the basis for recording [6] and completed the album in five weeks. [7] Unlike the debut Floating Points album Elaenia (2015), Crush does not feature any live guitars or drums. [8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.8/10 [9]
Metacritic 81/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Exclaim! 7/10 [12]
Financial Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Pitchfork 8.3/10 [1]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Uncut 8/10 [18]

Crush received positive reception upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from music publications, the album received an average score of 81 based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [5] Shawn Reynaldo of Pitchfork awarded the album "Best New Music", saying that the project is "an album of mischievous, melodic, stripped-down electronic music". Dylan Barnabe at Exclaim! noted that although "the sonic explorations undermine the album's overall cohesiveness, Crush remains a shining example of Shepherd's growth as an artist". [12] In a mixed review, John Mulvey of Mojo thought that the project was "a decent album, but perhaps not the one some of us were hoping for.". [15]

Accolades

PublicationAccoladeRankRef.
The A.V. Club Top 20 Albums of 201917 [19]
DJ Mag Top 50 Albums of 201925 [20]
The Independent Top 50 Albums of 201925 [21]
Loud and Quiet Top 40 Albums of 20199 [22]
Mixmag Top 50 Albums of 20192 [23]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 201950 [24]
The Vinyl Factory Top 50 Albums of 201922 [25]

Track listing

All tracks written and produced by Sam Shepherd. Credits adapted from Apple Music and Tidal. [4] [26]

No.TitleLength
1."Falaise"3:54
2."Last Bloom"5:53
3."Anasickmodular"3:12
4."Requiem for CS70 and Strings"2:23
5."Karakul"1:54
6."LesAlpx"4:41
7."Bias"5:08
8."Environments"4:45
9."Birth"3:00
10."Sea-Watch"4:04
11."Apoptose, Pt. I"2:35
12."Apoptose, Pt. II"2:27
Total length:44:01

Charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA) [27] 33
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [28] 163
Scottish Albums (OCC) [29] 20
UK Albums (OCC) [30] 37

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References

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  2. "LesAlpx − Single by Floating Points". Apple Music . Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  3. "Bias - Single by Floating Points". Apple Music . Retrieved 18 April 2020.
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  5. 1 2 3 "Crush by Floating Points Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 Sherburne, Philip (28 October 2019). "How Devilish Synths, Political Chaos, and the xx Inspired Floating Points' Crush". Pitchfork . Retrieved 29 October 2019.
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  14. O'Connor, Roisin (17 October 2019). "Floating Points review, Crush: An insight into Sam Shepherd's brilliant mind". The Independent . Retrieved 21 October 2019.
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