floorplan: fiyaaaa!

Not content with defining the sound of minimal techno in the nineties, Robert Hood has more recently fine0tuned his own gospel-tinged take on the genre. It comes under the Floorplan moniker, the genesis of which is said to have come to him when awakened by a late-night vision. Since 2016, it has been a collaborative duo between Hood and daughter Lyric, and never fails to lead to religious experiences on the dancefloor. With roots in the Detroit techno scene in which Hood first emerged, Floorplan's sound is embellished with the heartfelt emotions and unbridled passions of Chicago house music. It is heavy and analog and filled with vigor thanks to the expert drum programming and ever rising sense of euphoria that comes from the well sculpted synths. But it also speaks to the heart and soul and has done since first standout cut "We Magnify His Name". The pair's endless quest for the perfect groove continued through albums like 2013's Paradise -- which spawned anthemic singles like "Let's Ride", "Baby Baby", and the massive "Never Grow Old" -- and 2016's Victorious. The same year saw Hood's daughter Lyric officially become part of the project. Since then they have taken Floorplan to endless headline shows at high profile clubs and festivals everywhere from New York City to Ibiza, London to Amsterdam. Their electric sets leave crowds feeling uplifted, spiritually awakening and totally in awe. Part of the success of Floorplan is the combination of Robert's old school excellence and Lyric's new school innovation: their music, with its big chords and even bigger vocal samples, could be 30 years old or fresh from the pressing plant, such is its universal sense of appeal. It is rare to make music as stripped back yet emotionally enriched as Floorplan, but this pair do it with ease and a firm focus on durable grooves. Functional but full of form, tense but atmospheric, loopy but ever evolving, Floorplan truly transcend the dance music spectrum. Features Carol Otis.