Sam Shepherd has become a master of the long and expanding dance track. His latest, “Nuits Sonores,” is a case in point. Elements from all over the spectrum are slowly blended together with a heavy dose of restraint to make what arguably might be one of the best tracks of 2014. Wormy, muted acid gives way to gently chugging electric piano while swinging drums keep everything moving forward. It’s an easy track to get lost in, you barely notice its 11 minutes roll by. For a song that was apparently made on an airplane while Shepherd was on the way to the festival of the same name, it’s quite a feat. It’s followed by the slightly more restrained, albeit nearly as good, “Nectarines.” Once again restraint and discipline are the name of the game as lush swaths of reverb fill the space between keyboard stabs and sampled vocals. They’re elements that might get out of control in another producer’s hands, but Floating Points delivers everything at just the right temperature. What a way to close out the year. Recommended.

• music label: Eglo Records 2014

reviewed by Joey Coco 1/2015