Floating Points unveils new sound system for Leeds charity

For Leeds locals, Cosmic Slop has become an institution. If you stop someone in Hyde Park or Headrow House and ask them what the best night out in the area is, there’s a good chance they’ll answer with those two (otherwise meaningless) words, unless you’re a Funkadelic fan. It’s easy to see why the party has received such rave reviews. The night, held at Hope House, a 200-capacity venue just west of the city centre, boasts lineups that the O2 Academies would be more than proud to book.

With a cult following, a top-notch sound system and a cause to match, the party has attracted some of the biggest names in the business. From Caribou to Four Tet, DJs from all over have graced Leeds for their tour dates, undeterred – or perhaps charmed – by the venue’s small size and community focus. One of its most loyal bookings is Floating Points. So it’s fitting that, with both the party and the charity now under threat, Shepherd has returned to the city to shine a light on the charity’s importance.

Like many businesses and venues, MAP Charity’s activities have now been disrupted by city centre development. Global investment fund Cheyne Capital is planning to build hundreds of apartments next to Hope House, which provides a home for the charity and Cosmic Slop. This development could impact the charity’s activities, as well as the party that funds and markets them.

In a statement accompanying the charity’s petition, they explained: “The bottom line is that if planning permission is approved in its current state, the potential for noise complaints from new residents could cut off MAP Charity’s main source of fundraising, as well as a direct threat to 10 jobs in the events team. This could bring MAP Charity to its knees.” In an effort to save its home and its very existence, the charity is gathering signatures in their thousands to show the importance of the organisation.

And what better way to promote the cause than by enlisting one of its most loyal and lauded partners, Floating Points? On Friday, Project House and Cosmic Slop announced that Shepherd would be playing a show in the city in an effort to save the charity from closure. The price of admission? His name on a petition to support MAP. The event? A showcase of the new sound system Shepherd built, two days after the announcement.

Rather than throwing the free party at the venue they hope to save, Floating Points and Cosmic Slop knew a bigger beast was needed to cater to the crowds that would show up for the cause. When we arrived at Project House on a rainy Sunday afternoon, just an hour after the event, that became even clearer. The venue’s smoking area was already packed with people willing to brave the rain as the sounds of music and conversation bled outside.

A one-in, one-out system was implemented in anticipation of the numbers, but we arrived early enough to avoid the raffle tickets on the way in. After donating to MAP and checking out the Cosmic Slop merch booth, it was time to see if Shepherd’s sound system-building skills matched his production prowess.

The interior of Project House looked a little different than usual. Black curtains had been placed around the venue area in an effort to transform the 4pm light into an underground club and improve the sound inside. After stepping through these curtains, we were greeted with the sight of two massive stacks of speakers on either side of the DJ booth. Shepherd was manning the decks between them like a proud father.

The hangover, the scares of Sunday were immediately dispelled as Shepherd and Cosmic Tom took the crowd on an endlessly unpredictable sonic journey. We were expecting something ambient, something suitably cozy for a Sunday that could still showcase the depth of their creation, but we couldn’t have been more wrong. In between, the duo served up afro-pop remixes, endless drum beats, heavy jungle and everything in between, never allowing the audience to settle into any one genre.

It was a set that showcased the capabilities of Floating Points’ sound system at every opportunity, leaving even the most technologically challenged in the audience impressed with how good it sounded. As we left the venue a few hours later, lines were forming at the entrance, hoping to catch a glimpse of the massive sound system and show their support for MAP and Cosmic Slop. It seemed like everyone was ready to shake off their Sunday blues and headaches with a good dose of dancing, but more than that, everyone was ready to declare their love for Cosmic and the community it houses.

It was a day that could have been about Floating Points, or his upcoming album, or the truly impressive sound system he’s built. And while that certainly inspired awe in the throngs of people who ventured into Armley throughout the day, it wasn’t the main takeaway. Instead, it was a celebration of the importance of organisations like MAP and Cosmic Slop, a demonstration of how important they are to local communities, and an attempt to ensure they can continue that work.

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