Floating Points – ‘Cascade’ album review: a well-earned return to the dancefloor
THE SKINNY: Floating Points is a producer, or an artist, or a composer, who absolutely refuses to stay in one place. He delivered one of the most entrancing electronic albums of the last decade in 2019 with Crush, linked up with jazz saxophonist and the London Symphony Orchestra in 2021 for a record full of classical ambience and, most recently, ventured into the world of ballet composition, using his skills to soundtrack a different kind of dance.
Now, Floating Points, also known as Samuel Shepherd, has returned to his roots with a record full of blinding electronica. Cascade features no gentle saxophones or minimalist moments, and it certainly won’t be soundtracking the San Francisco Ballet anytime soon. It’s far darker, denser, and more danceable than any of Shepherd’s more recent endeavours, but just as enticing.
Produced from Shepherd’s laptop, the songs stretch over six, seven, even eight minutes, relishing in never-ending synths and drawn-out drops. It’s not just a return to his roots sonically, either. There are references to a radio station he frequented in his youth and an ode to Afflecks Palace in his hometown of Manchester, a quirky shopping emporium as eclectic as the song it gives its name to.
There are glimpses at Shepherd’s more recent influences — a dainty collection of strings here, some playful precision there — but this is, through and through, a well-earned return to the dancefloor for Floating Points. It’s also in alignment with his recent efforts to build what he describes as the sunflower soundsystem, which seems sure to provide club-goers with the loudest and most memorable night out of their life.
Cascade may seem like a homecoming for Shepherd, but it’s unlikely that he’ll commit to the world of electronica for too long. Cherish it while you can, before he sets off on a completely different tangent once more.
For fans of: Raving while reading Proust.
A concluding comment from Floating Points, next year: “Dance music? Nah, mate, haven’t you heard? I’m working on a soundtrack for the new A24 film.”
Cascade track-by-track:
Label: Ninja Tune | Producer: Floating Points | Release date: 13th September
‘Vocoder’: If you were anticipating more of the magical minimalism and sweet saxophones that made up Floating Points’ last offering, 2021’s Promises, the opening track will quickly quell those misplaced expectations. There are no jazz influences or classical components on ‘Vocoder’. It’s a full-fledged return to the dancefloor for Shepherd. [4/5]
‘Key103’: ‘Key103’ is a little heavier (and lengthier) than the songs you might expect to hear on the mainstream radio station it borrows its name from. It’s a collection of pulsing synths and percussion, all building to a moment just over five minutes in that will leave you cutting shapes you didn’t even know you were capable of. [3.5/5]
‘Birth4000’: ‘Birth4000’ plunges even further into electronica, pairing almost acid synths with an entrancing beat. The synths fall out of focus before Shepherd brings them back into view, delivering one of the most club-worthy drops on the record. [4/5]
‘Del Oro’: On ‘Del Oro’, Shepherd takes a break from making songs to soundtrack sticky-floored underground clubs and gives into some of his lighter leanings. There are still dense moments of electronica, of danceable beats and shortened vocals, but there are also fluttering keys and playful percussion. It’s one of the most varied and intriguing efforts on Cascade, embodying the record’s name. [4/5]
‘Fast Forward’: In another indulgent track pushing over a seven-minute runtime, Shepherd allows synth melodies to swirl and spiral around each other, never letting one sound or melody dominate for too long. True to its name, there’s what sounds like a dragged-out fast-forward sound effect in there, too. [3.5/5]
‘Ocotillo’: Shepherd pairs synths with strings on ‘Ocotillo’, one of the most truly beautiful tracks on Cascade. Unlike the dark, dancey offerings on the record, it starts out delicate and dainty, somehow sounding natural and digital all at once. As it pushes on, it gathers in electronica, ending with a pulsing climax. It’s Cascade condensed into one track. [4/5]
‘Afflecks Palace’: Anyone from Manchester (or nearby) will know of the eclectic emporium that Shepherd references in ‘Afflecks Palace.’ The song is just as disorienting as a wander round the four-floured shopping centre, with screeching sounds and squelching electronica. Not one for the faint of heart. [3.5/5]
‘Tilt Shift’: Things are a little calmer at the outset of ‘Tilt Shift’, despite the similarly disorienting title. Shepherd pairs drums akin to a static television set with much stabler synths, mixing the ethereal with the erratic. It’s a balance he seems to have mastered on Cascade. [4/5]
‘Ablaze’: Cascade closes with its shortest and most subdued track, ‘Ablaze’. It’s a collection of barely-audible synths, the sonic calm after the storm. A moment to reflect on Shepherd’s undisputed producer genius. [3.5/5]
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