Floating Points & Pharoah Sanders - Promises

Promises is a studio album by British electronic musician Floating Points, American jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra, released in March 2021 via Luaka Bop.

Promises is an extraordinary, collaborative album by the electronic giant Floating Points and saxophone titan Pharoah Sanders. The album features the London Symphony Orchestra and cover art by the acclaimed American artist, Julie Mehretu. Five years in the making, it was released via Luaka Bop in March 2021.

The album is composed and engineered by Sam Shepherd aka Floating Points, who’s second album Crush earned Best New Music from Pitchfork and a major feature in the New York Times, and placed him on several 2019 critics lists. His debut album Elaenia, released by Luaka Bop, was another Best New Music pick and hailed as one of the best debuts of the decade. It is also the release that made Pharoah Sanders want to work with him in the first place.

For Pharoah Sanders, who recently turned 80, this is a rare outing and his first album in 15 years. Sadly, it turned out to be the last album released in Pharoah’s life time as he passed away in September 2002.

Promises consists of a single 46-minute composition noted for its "dreamlike" qualities. The single piece is divided into nine movements which provide interplay with Floating Points keyboards and Sanders saxophone, with the orchestra building to a crescendo in the sixth movement.

The album has received universal acclaim from music critics, and was shortlisted for the 2021 Mercury Prize.

This album is a limited edition reissue on marbled coloured vinyl housed in a die-cut gatefold sleeve with a printed insert, pressed in the US via Luaka Bop.