Floating Points – Crush

Opener 'Falaise' combines echoes of Philip Glass and Steve Reich's more recent string work with buchla experimentation before sliding into a modern take on nineties IDM over a warm electro-type beat with 'Last Bloom'. The same glowing warmth also prevails on the blissed out 'Anasickmodular', this time using a classic UK garage rhythm and AFX-like stutters as a solid base to go all out. Shepherd slows down the album's flow on the pastoral modern-classical 'Requiem for CS70 and Strings' (exactly what it says on the tin) and the minimalist frequency test that is 'Karakul' before finally giving in to the dancefloor with the earlier single 'LesAlpx'. 'Bias' is another UK-garage inspired stepper (or better yet 2-stepper) that is expertly mummified with warm chords and off-kilter soundscapes. Aphex Twin's early work seems to be the number one inspiration for the beautifully intricate 'Environments' and the two part 'Apoptose', but is given a totally new identity by Shepherd, who has so much going on on this new album it's clear his mind is overflowing with creative juices right now. 'Crush' is his most accomplished and imaginative album so far, largely thanks to his relatively loose approach. A strong contender for Album of the Year. (RO).