Promises is a simply stunning 46-minute album that floats and melts, mesmerizing listeners with its beauty. The collaboration between Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra is truly a masterpiece for the ears, heart, and soul.
Sam Shepherd (Floating Points): Pharoah...
Pharoah Sanders: Huh...?
Sam: Were you asleep? I'm sorry...
Pharoah: No no... I was listening... and dreaming... and listening to music in my head...
Sam: Oh wow... sorry.
Pharoah: Many times, people think I might be asleep... but in fact, I am just listening to music in my head. I'm always listening... to the sounds around me... and playing, in my mind... and sometimes I dream.
Sam: What were you dreaming about?
Pharoah: I'm on a ship. In the ocean. Bears coming around smoking cigars. The bears are singing, ‘We have the music. We have what you're looking for.’ I say, ‘Really?’ And I was making fish dinners. Shark... Lobster. Got all kinds of fish. And you know, a good pie. Pumpkin pie. You like pumpkin pie?
Pharoah: How you like that take, Sam?
Sam: It's cool. I think the bit in the middle, where it stops again... I think you can hear... We were both kind of confused. I like it as well because it sounds like two musicians that are trying to guide each other.
Pharoah: I think that's it right there. It came out different. It came out good though.
Sam: You happy?
Pharoah: Yeah, I'm cool with it.
Sam: Okay. Yeah, I think your playing is beautiful.
