I Promise it's worth it
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra made me do it.
Hellooo cool ppl! I’m back (sort of). I’m sorry the newsletters stopped for a while, but life got hectic, not in a bad way, just a busy way. There are times that events or experiences unlock us. Sometimes they give us clarity for a big decision we have to make and sometimes they help out in more banal ways and break our writer's block. This is what happened to me. I was kind of having doubts about this passion project, but then something happened. I listened to an album but made me want to share and talk about with you (so far, my frontrunner for Album Of The Year). Hopefully, this will kickstart this project again and I’ll be more consistent.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this special edition of the grounded newsletter.
Promises – Floating Points, Pharaoh Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra
This record sounds like an electronic music producer, a spiritual jazz saxophonist, and an orchestra got together to make an introspective listening experience, which is exactly what happened.
More than a music album, this project falls more in the realm of a piece of art or listening experience. Throughout nine tracks, or Movements as they are called in the record, the involved take you on a ride that can be fairly comparted to a spiritual journey. If I had to describe it in one word it would be: beautiful.
The unlikely combination of musical talents meshes really well throughout the album. Sam Shepherd, known as Floating Points, known mostly for his electronic productions lays down the structure for the record. Meanwhile, Pharoah Sanders, one of jazz’s last living legends, provides the spiritual element of the album. Lastly, the London Symphony Orchestra enters well into the piece but its contributions is what elevates this record from good to unforgettable.
The record takes you on a ride of vastness and emptiness, but not in a frightening way. It is similar to the state of mind one can achieve through meditation. Along the journey there is this one chord, played on a harpsichord, that keeps you grounded (pun not intended).
While many of the instrumental experimental albums are hard to listen without the spell breaking, this technique allows the listeners to always remember where they are and that the journey they’re on is temporary. No need to panic and think you will not descend ever again.
Another key element that this chord loop allows is that it establishes the ground in which the other instruments and sounds can come in and shine. Throughout the movements one can hear, as the main component of the movement, a synth, sax, violin, orchestra, and Pharaoh Sander’s voice. The transitions between these are effortlessly and one can’t tell if it’s minute 1 of the same movement or if you’re on the seventh movement.
As Pitchfork’s review point out:
“The arc of Promises needs time and space to unfold, and the length and continuous nature of the piece is central to its impact. If it were 20 minutes long—or 60—it wouldn’t have the same force. Nothing is rushed, but nothing is lingered over for too long, either”
And I think this encapsulates the beauty of the project. Sometimes while hearing experimental records you can get tired of it because it’s either rushed or too repetitive. This is definitely the case for Promises.
For the grounded music club™, we listened to the record and had a special assignment. Each member had the job to find a visual piece that accompanies the record. The vast majority chose images that portrayed the cold and vastness of the world, but in a calm and soothing manner.
Here are the club’s submissions:
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