floating points

sam shepard follows his brilliant breakthrough lp ‘elaenia’ with this massive, cinematic work recorded under, and inspired by, the huge skies of the Mojave desert.

It finds shepard in evolved mode, now more a conductor and composer of fleet of musicians and sounds, rather than producer of post-dancefloor meditations. It’s something anyone who has experienced his band playing live will be familiar with – soaring, tempestuous full-band pieces that take the listener on profound and stirring journeys into new sonic spaces. this hugely evocative record takes the model forward, and exhorts a dreaminess that brings to mind kraut-synth masters of yore, post-rock ambience, and echoes of spielberg’s ‘close encounters’ in the cosmic vistas summoned. wonderful. “Digested as a whole, ‘Mojave Desert’ is as fluid and enveloping as the landscape itself, a mystical, spiritual and arresting nexus point between the natural world and sound. As the first in a series of site-specific musical works and films, it makes a soaring statement.” 8/10 – loud and quiet, “The intensity that Floating Points attains at the peak of “Kelso Dunes” is exhilarating: You almost hear the small group achieving liftoff and floating a few feet off the desert ground.” - pitchfork