Electronic artist Floating Points has released a new single, Falling to Earth, recorded in collaboration with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.
The single, released on Deutsche Grammophon, follows on from Floating Points (aka Sam Shepherd) taking on the challenge of writing a full-length ballet score in response to a commission from Tamara Rojo, artistic director of San Francisco Ballet.
The production, Mere Mortals, was inspired by the myth of Pandora, and premiered in January 2024 at the War Memorial Opera House. It was developed in collaboration with choreographer Aszure Barton and design studio Hamill Industries.
Shepherd played live synths during the production’s successful run, and reunited with the orchestra to record a full length album score of Mere Mortals, of which Falling to Earth is an extended excerpt.
‘Like the score as a whole, it blends orchestral and electronic sounds to powerful effect, echoing the retelling of the myth, which draws parallels between Pandora’s story and the unforeseeable impact of scientific progress on our own society today,’ as a press release put it.
Shepherd, who has released previous albums including Elaenia, Crush and Promises – the latter of which featured jazz icon Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra – has worked across electronic and orchestral formats throughout his career.
The release of Falling to Earth precedes the full album release of Mere Mortals, which is scheduled for later in 2026, while performances of the ballet are planned at the Edinburgh Festival with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in August, followed by performances at Sadler’s Wells in September with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.
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