Crush (Floating Points album)

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 Floating Points
Released	18 October 2019
Genre	Electronic[1]
Length	44:01
Label	Ninja Tune
Producer	Sam Shepherd
Floating Points chronology
Late Night Tales: Floating Points (2019) Crush (2019)
Singles from Crush
"LesAlpx" Released: 18 June 2019[2] "Bias" Released: April 7, 2020[3]

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
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

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

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

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

1. 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. "Crush by Floating Points on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
5. "Crush by Floating Points Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
6. 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. 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. 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. 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.