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Cascade is a studio album by British electronic musician Sam Shepherd under the alias Floating Points. It was released on Ninja Tune on 13 September 2024. It topped the UK Dance Albums Chart.

Background

Cascade is the first solo studio album by Floating Points since Crush (2019). He collaborated with Pharoah Sanders and London Symphony Orchestra on Promises (2021). He then created his first ballet score, Mere Mortals, in collaboration with San Francisco Ballet. Cascade was inspired by his hometown of Manchester. The song "Key103" takes its title from a Manchester radio station. The album's cover art was created by Akiko Nakayama. "Vocoder", "Birth4000", "Del Oro", "Key103", and "Ocotillo" were released as singles from the album.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	83/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Clash	8/10
The Line of Best Fit	8/10
MusicOMH
Pitchfork	8.0/10
PopMatters	7/10
Under the Radar

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Cascade received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 83 out of 100 from 13 critic scores.

Brandon Miller of PopMatters commented that "Across nine tracks, Floating Points guides listeners through a series of self-reflective passages and hard club drops, suitable for both sweaty dance floors and moments of existential solitude." Robin Murray of Clash stated, "an autobiographical paean to club culture, it acts as a window of insight into his electronic imagination, while also slapping hard." Paul Simpson of AllMusic called it "yet another marvelous Floating Points album, and easily the most successful work he's made as a dance producer."

Accolades

Track listing

All tracks are written by Sam Shepherd.

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

• Sam Shepherd – music, arrangement, recording
• Dan Snaith – drums (5)
• Miriam Adefris – harp (6)
• Hannah Ekholm – voice (7)
• Stella Mozgawa – drums (7)
• Hikaru Utada – voice (8, 9)
• Matt Colton – mastering
• Akiko Nakayama – artwork
• Matthew Cooper – design

Charts

References

1. Eede, Christian (9 March 2022). "Floating Points Releases New Single, 'Vocoder'". The Quietus. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
2. Renshaw, David (17 October 2023). "Floating Points returns with "Birth4000"". The Fader. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
3. Kelly, Tyler Damara (4 June 2024). "Floating Points returns with new single, "Del Oro"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
4. Walsh, April Clare (10 July 2024). "Floating Points announces new album, 'Cascade', shares single: Listen". DJ Mag. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
5. Hakimian, Rob (22 August 2024). "Floating Points unveils a percolating electronic painting in "Ocotillo"". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
6. ^ "Cascade by Floating Points". Metacritic. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
7. ^ "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
8. Strauss, Matthew (9 July 2024). "Floating Points Announces New Album Cascade, Shares New Song "Key103": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
9. Malin, Marina (9 July 2024). "Floating Points Announces New Album and Shares Video for New Song "Key103"". Under the Radar. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
10. Kelly, Tyler Damara (9 July 2024). "Floating Points unveils details of his new album, Cascade". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
11. Bell, Kaelen (10 July 2024). "Floating Points Announces New Album 'Cascade,' Shares "Key103"". Exclaim!. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
12. Murray, Robin (9 July 2024). "Floating Points Announces New Album 'Cascade'". Clash. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
13. Sacher, Andrew (9 July 2024). "Floating Points announces new album 'Cascade,' shares "Key103"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
14. Lawson, Michael (9 July 2024). "Floating Points unveils new dance floor-focused album, Cascade". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
15. Breihan, Tom (22 August 2024). "Floating Points – "Ocotillo"". Stereogum. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
16. ^ Simpson, Paul. "Cascade - Floating Points". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
17. ^ Murray, Robin (20 September 2024). "Floating Points – Cascade". Clash. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
18. Oinonen, Janne (11 September 2024). "Floating Points goes minimalist on Cascade". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
19. Hogwood, Ben (13 September 2024). "Floating Points – Cascade". MusicOMH. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
20. Ryce, Andrew (13 September 2024). "Floating Points: Cascade". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
21. ^ Miller, Brandon (25 September 2024). "Floating Points Returns to Electronic Music with 'Cascade'". PopMatters. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
22. Verity, Alfie (4 October 2024). "Floating Points: Cascade (Ninja Tune)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
23. "Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2024". Exclaim!. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
24. "musicOMH's Top 50 Albums Of 2024". MusicOMH. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
25. "The 100 Best Albums of 2024". Rolling Stone. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
26. "The 50 Best Albums of 2024". Slant Magazine. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
27. "The 50 Best Albums Of 2024". Stereogum. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
28. Floating Points (2024). Cascade (CD booklet). Ninja Tune.
29. "Ultratop.be – Floating Points – Cascade" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
30. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
31. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
32. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2024.

External links

• Cascade at Discogs (list of releases)

• 2024 albums
• Floating Points albums
• Ninja Tune albums