Live Review: Got a spare 20 minutes for the insane new Floating Points single?

FLOATING POINTS aka Sam Shepherd has come out with the full-length studio version of 'Kuiper'. The track will appear on the EP also named Kuiper out July 22.

The EP follows on from the success of last year's critically acclaimed debut album, Elaenia, and this track is just the tip of the musical iceberg for Floating Points.

The track is loooong, clocking in at just over 18 minutes. It's a melancholic, yet intricate slow burn, which slowly progresses sonically. Starting off with a simple drone and then slowly building up to include the organic instrumentation from his backing band.

As 'Kuiper' moves on it continues with the addition of more musical elements that get progressively more loud and complex. The tempo picks up rapidly as bass and synths are added in, while the percussion is brimming with fills and breaks. This is all before tapering off into a more ambient and electronic mood. If you make it past half way, there is an extremely rewarding climax, once again before concluding beautifully on the somber drone of a synth.

Acting as one half of the entire EP, 'Kuiper' is much more than a song. It's a sonic experiment, much like the rest of the work by Floating Points. The entire masterpiece works off the principle of tension and release; building until it can't anymore, giving the listen brief periods of peace, before ramping it up again.

18 minutes is a long time to keep anyone's attention, yet, 'Kuiper' will keep you engaged and thinking long after the droning synth disappears into the abyss.

Words by Aiden Benavides

LISTEN TO MORE NEW MUSIC HERE

SEE ALSO:

FLOATING POINTS ‘NESPOLE’ (OFFICIAL VIDEO)