THUMP hasn’t been shy about our love of London producer Floating Points. His long-awaited debut album, Elaenia, was one of our favorite records of 2015, and his “Final Plastic People Mix” with fellow English musician Four Tet was our number-one mix of the year. All this, of course, followed the time he brought his 11-piece band to YouTube Space New York for a stunning live rendition of album cut “Silhouettes (I, II & III).”
When we caught up with Shepherd back in December, he told THUMP about how playing with the band releases a wild and untapped energy. “When we were doing the gigs, we realized that kind of energy exists in the band, and that’s what we wanted to tap into,” Shepherd said. “On the album there’s a track called ‘Thin Air’ that’s so intricate, delicate and controlled, and you’d lose some of that live,” he added.
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Today we’ve got a surprise for fellow Shepherd-fanatics: truth be told, his THUMP session lasted a bit longer than that previously released clip. When the crew graced YouTube Space NY’s studios, they also recorded a rendition of “Argenté” as well as two unreleased compositions, and today, we’re unveiling the whole thing in full. As in the “Silhouettes (I, II & III)” clip, an array of mesmerizing light drawings produced by Pablo Barquin and Anna Diaz of Hamill Industries give the performance an added visual dimension. Check out the fifty-minute video above, and see the tracklist and full ensemble credits below.
Shepherd has also announced a round of North American tour dates for the months of April and May today, and you can check those out below.
Tracklist:
Open
Silhouettes (I,II & III)
Argenté
Close
Featuring:
Sam Shepherd – Rhodes & Buchla
Dave Okumu – Guitar
Leo Taylor – Drums
Alex Reeve – Bass
Phillip Granell – Violin
Paloma Dieke – Violin
Anisa Arslanagic – Viola
Magda Pietraszewska – Cello
Renate Sokolovska – Flute
Tom White – Trombone
Shabaka Hutchings – Tenor Sax & Clarinet
Tour Dates:
4/25 – LOS ANGELES, CA – Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetary [tickets]
4/26 – LOS ANGELES, CA – Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetary [tickets]
4/27 – SANTA ANA, CA – Constellation Room [tickets]
4/28 – SANTA CRUZ, CA – The Catalyst Club [tickets]
4/29 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Mezzanine [tickets]
4/30 – LOS ANGELES, CA – Shrine Auditorium * [tickets]
5/1 – PORTLAND, OR – Doug Fir Lounge [tickets]
5/3 – SEATTLE, WA – Neumos [tickets]
5/4 – VANCOUVER, BC – Celebrities Nightclub [tickets]
5/7 – CHICAGO, IL – Metro [tickets]
5/10 – TORONTO, ON – Mod Club [tickets]
5/11 – MONTREAL, QC – Phi Centre [tickets]
5/12 – NEW YORK, NY – Bowery Ballroom [tickets]
5/13 – BROOKLYN, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg [tickets]
5/17 – WASHINGTON, DC – U Street Music Hall [tickets]
5/19 – DURHAM, NC – Moogfest 2016 [tickets]
5/22 – ATLANTA, GA – Shaky Beats Festival @ Centennial Olympic Park [tickets]