An ambitious move and perhaps the realization of a boyhood dream of the British producer, DJ and musician Sam Shepherd alias Floating Points. For his third album he managed to enlist Pharoah Sanders on saxophone and vocals. The contributions of this living legend (who played with
John Coltrane) are completed by the string section of the London Symphony Orchestra. What on paper seems to be a wonderful
… and fascinating combination, is in practice disappointing. Perhaps expectations were too high. In broadly ethereal pieces, Shepherd seems to want to rival composers such as Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki. But the minor symphonic meditations lack tension and the religious spirituality of these composers. Sanders plays a moody part here and there, but is mainly lost in the symphonic violence. In short, this dreamed collaboration does not get the best out of the three parties and fails to deliver on promises. (MR)more
