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]
Crush | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 18 October 2019 | |||
Genre | Electronic[1] | |||
Length | 44:01 | |||
Label | Ninja Tune | |||
Producer | Sam Shepherd | |||
Floating Points chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Crush | ||||
Background and recording
editShepherd 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
editAggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 7.8/10[9] |
Metacritic | 81/100[5] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [10] |
DIY | [11] |
Exclaim! | 7/10[12] |
Financial Times | [13] |
The Independent | [14] |
Mojo | [15] |
The Observer | [16] |
Pitchfork | 8.3/10[1] |
Q | [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
editPublication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
The A.V. Club | Top 20 Albums of 2019 | 17 | [19] |
DJ Mag | Top 50 Albums of 2019 | 25 | [20] |
The Independent | Top 50 Albums of 2019 | 25 | [21] |
Loud and Quiet | Top 40 Albums of 2019 | 9 | [22] |
Mixmag | Top 50 Albums of 2019 | 2 | [23] |
Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2019 | 50 | [24] |
The Vinyl Factory | Top 50 Albums of 2019 | 22 | [25] |
Track listing
editAll tracks written and produced by Sam Shepherd. Credits adapted from Apple Music and Tidal.[4][26]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
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
editChart (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 |
References
edit- ^ a b Reynaldo, Shawn (21 October 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ "LesAlpx − Single by Floating Points". Apple Music. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "Bias - Single by Floating Points". Apple Music. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Crush by Floating Points on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ a b c "Crush by Floating Points Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ a b c Sherburne, Philip (28 October 2019). "How Devilish Synths, Political Chaos, and the xx Inspired Floating Points' Crush". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- ^ Beta, Andy (28 August 2019). "How Floating Points made his unhinged new album Crush". The Fader. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- ^ Edwards, Simon (17 October 2019). "Floating Points: Eco soundsystems". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- ^ "Crush by Floating Points reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ Kellman, Andy. "Crush – Floating Points". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ Sloman, Tom (17 October 2019). "Floating Points – Crush". DIY. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ a b Barnabe, Dylan (20 October 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Exclaim!. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (18 October 2019). "Floating Points: Crush — a purer form of electronic music". Financial Times. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ O'Connor, Roisin (17 October 2019). "Floating Points review, Crush: An insight into Sam Shepherd's brilliant mind". The Independent. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ a b Mulvey, John (November 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Mojo (312): 95.
- ^ Joshi, Tara (20 October 2019). "Floating Points: Crush review – beauty out of chaos". The Observer. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ Howe, Rupert (December 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Q (405): 109.
- ^ Dalton, Stephen (November 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Uncut (270): 32.
- ^ "The 20 Best Albums of 2019". The A.V. Club. 19 December 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "DJ Mag's Top 50 Albums of 2019". DJ Mag. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ O'Connor, Roisin (20 December 2019). "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". The Independent. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "The Loud and Quiet Best 40 Albums of 2019". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ Webb, Lydia; Macaulay, Eden (18 December 2019). "The 50 Best Albums of the Year". Mixmag. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Pitchfork. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ "Our 50 Favourite Albums of 2019". The Vinyl Factory. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "Crush / Floating Points". Tidal. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Floating Points – Crush" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 October 2019.