Crush (Floating Points album)

2019 studio album by Floating Points

Crush

Studio album by

Floating Points

Released| 18 October 2019 (2019-10-18)
Genre| Electronic[1]
Length| 44:01
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]

## Background and recording

[edit]

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

[edit]

Professional ratingsAggregate 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

[edit]

Publication  | 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

[edit]

All 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

[edit]

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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Reynaldo, Shawn (21 October 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
2. ^ "LesAlpx − Single by Floating Points". Apple Music. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
3. ^ "Bias - Single by Floating Points". Apple Music. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
4. ^ a b "Crush by Floating Points on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
5. ^ a b c "Crush by Floating Points Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
6. ^ 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.
7. ^ Beta, Andy (28 August 2019). "How Floating Points made his unhinged new album Crush". The Fader. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
8. ^ Edwards, Simon (17 October 2019). "Floating Points: Eco soundsystems". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
9. ^ "Crush by Floating Points reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
10. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Crush – Floating Points". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
11. ^ Sloman, Tom (17 October 2019). "Floating Points – Crush". DIY. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
12. ^ a b Barnabe, Dylan (20 October 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Exclaim!. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
13. ^ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (18 October 2019). "Floating Points: Crush — a purer form of electronic music". Financial Times. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
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.
15. ^ a b Mulvey, John (November 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Mojo (312): 95.
16. ^ Joshi, Tara (20 October 2019). "Floating Points: Crush review – beauty out of chaos". The Observer. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
17. ^ Howe, Rupert (December 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Q (405): 109.
18. ^ Dalton, Stephen (November 2019). "Floating Points: Crush". Uncut (270): 32.
19. ^ "The 20 Best Albums of 2019". The A.V. Club. 19 December 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
20. ^ "DJ Mag's Top 50 Albums of 2019". DJ Mag. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
21. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (20 December 2019). "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". The Independent. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
22. ^ "The Loud and Quiet Best 40 Albums of 2019". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
23. ^ Webb, Lydia; Macaulay, Eden (18 December 2019). "The 50 Best Albums of the Year". Mixmag. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
24. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Pitchfork. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
25. ^ "Our 50 Favourite Albums of 2019". The Vinyl Factory. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
26. ^ "Crush / Floating Points". Tidal. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
27. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
28. ^ "Ultratop.be – Floating Points – Crush" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
29. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
30. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 October 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Crush at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

Floating Points

Studio albums|

* Elaenia (2015)
* Crush (2019)
* Promises (2021)
* Cascade (2024)

Compilation albums|

* Late Night Tales: Floating Points (2019)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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