Sultan + Shepard Delivers Most Emotive Work Yet ‘Forever, Now’

Sultan + Shepard returns to Lane 8’s This Never Happened with the release of their sophomore album on the imprint Forever, Now.

Since Ossama Al Sarraf and Ned Shepard’s fated meeting in a smokey Montreal nightclub over twenty years ago, the duo has taken their undeniable musical chemistry to extraordinary heights and paved the way to become one of dance music’s most esteemed acts. The curation of Sultan + Shepard was written in the stars, with a deep catalog that paints a picture of the cosmos, one melodic stroke at a time.

Sultan + Shepard have shape-shifted during their two decades together, carefully refining their craft to become the progressive powerhouses they are today. The duo gained traction by remixing major pop acts like Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, and Madonna, turning top 40 bops into melodic marvels. With their debut single released under John Digweed’s Bedrock label, S+S went on to produce work under labels like Armada Music and, more recently, This Never Happened. Now, they say they have finally found what they call “home: within their sound, with their two latest albums on Lane 8’s imprint showcasing this accomplishment.

S+S’s latest album Forever, Now has quickly become a favorite. The emotive atmosphere of each track stirred something within me that words can’t interpret, but I will do my best. Dreamy vocals over poetic verses by Julia Church, Tishmal, Andrew Belle, Benjamin Roustaing, PJ Harding, and Delhia de France only added layers of beauty to the meditative, reflective journey that is Forever, Now.

When we began working on ‘Forever, Now,’ the world had started to open up from the pandemic, we had begun touring again, and it felt like the great thawing of pent-up feelings and emotions were being released from us. Some of these feelings were beautiful and emotional, others darker and messier. The concept of ‘Forever, Now’ grew out of this familiar feeling of being grounded in a place of creativity despite being in new places sonically or physically. We realized that wherever we went, there we were. Things were always moving and changing, as we ourselves were too. But through the act of being sincere in expressing our emotions, a sense of being in just the right place or hitting just the right note would often arise.
Sultan + Shepard

Stream Forever, Now on Spotify or your preferred platform and head over to Sultan + Shepard’s website to purchase tickets in a city near you for their upcoming album tour! The 20+ date North American Tour kicked off on February 17 in Dallas and will continue through San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Denver, Montreal, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, and many more. Now, read on for a deeper dive into Forever, Now, standout tracks, and a look into my experience at Sultan + Shepard’s immersive listening party in Dolby Atmos.

Stream Sultan + Shepard – Forever, Now on Spotify:

Forever, Now begins with the breathtaking soundscapes of their introductory track, “Sirens.”

I was offered the opportunity to listen to Forever, Now in its entirety before the release with some of Sultan + Shepard’s super fans and Ossama and Ned themselves. As the lights dimmed in the small theater nestled 12 stories above The Wiltern, “Sirens” began to trickle into the space, bouncing off the walls in every direction in Dolby Atmos. Sitting in nearly pitch-black darkness heightened the senses to the sound, and I got completely lost in it. The euphoric, uplifting piano and gentle beat accompaniment made me feel like I was soaring over the night sky, with only my imagination taking me deeper into the experience. And boy, did my imagination take me places.

“Making Time” featuring Julia Church was the second track to envelop us during this uniquely immersive experience completely and was also the second beauty to be released ahead of the album’s debut. Ossama and Ned spoke about their reasoning for this during the Q&A portion, explaining that they felt it really highlighted the sentiment and emotion they tried to encapsulate on Forever, Now.

Julia Church — whose infamous voice captivated over Lane 8’s “Oh, Miles”— remained on Sultan + Shepards collaborative wishlist until now. The combination of Church’s soothing vocals and the Canadian duo’s profound production provided the perfect balance of uplifting and sad, S+S’s sweet spot. The four-minute cut has to be my favorite of Forever, Now, and being able to experience it in such a unique way, quite literally brought tears to my eyes.

“Losing Ground” followed swiftly after to carry me into a state of pure, ecstatic joy.

Tears still flowed down my cheeks, and a smile formed as I sang quietly along to Tishmal’s sultry sonnet. Becoming the background to many solo sunset drives after its release back in December, the familiarity and warmth of this piece held me in that dark theater, and I could feel the energy begin to shift all around me. The collaborative chemistry between Tishmal and S+S was undeniable, and during the Q&A, Tishmal, who was also in attendance, found out she was the only artist that worked directly in the studio with the duo.

“RnR” added some bass-driven fire to the euphoric collection that made the entire theater gasp in unison. With the many vocally accompanied tracks came just as many instrumentally-driven bodies of work. “RnR” took a surprising turn that transported us all to what felt like an underground rave. With a tiny pause to break up the slew of breathtaking ballots, “RnR” brought the theater back to life. The Dolby Atmos really hit with this one, making the entire theater pulse to the beat. I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard this on many dusty dance floors to come.

“Concorde,” “Neptune,” and “Forever, Now” all helped to tie the entire album together. The soundscapes of each song brought their own emotive nature to the space and certainly didn’t need any vocals to help evoke the feeling Sultan + Shepard masterfully cultivated.

The final song to leave a lasting impression on me was “Zima,” featuring melancholic alt-pop electronica producer Delhia de France.

When “Zima” fluttered into the theater after “RnR,” there was an energy to the song that instantly gave me goosebumps. Delhia de France’s voice had such a haunting tone that added so much depth to the lyrics. This track had me effortlessly moving and swaying in my seat with a punchy, unique verse about halfway through that had my heart fluttering. This unique experience, this entire album, holds such a special place in my heart forever. I felt more alive in that dark room than I have in a very, very long time. I look forward to all that is to come for Sultan + Shepard. Keep making all the magic, boys.

Sultan + Shepard – Forever, Now – Tracklist:

Sirens

Making Time feat. Julia Church

Losing Ground feat. Tishmal

Concorde

Elenore feat. Andrew Belle

Neptune

You Already Know feat. Benjamin Roustaing

Maybe I Was feat. PJ Harding

RnR

Zima (feat. Delhia de France)

Forever Now

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