Classic Vinyl & CDs

Review: On their fourth studio album, The Masters Plan, Robert and Lyric Hood - the father-daughter duo behind Floorplan - deliver a masterclass in house and techno that's as diverse as it is cohesive. Released on Luke Solomon's Classic Music Company, this 18-track odyssey showcases the Hoods' uncanny ability to blend the sacred and profane, the light and dark, into a sonic tapestry that's uniquely their own. From the opening chords, it's clear that Floorplan's Detroit roots run deep. The gospel-infused 'We Give Thee Honour' sets the tone, its uplifting vocals and rolling rhythms invoking the spiritual ecstasy of a Sunday morning service reimagined for the dancefloor. This spiritual thread weaves throughout the album, most notably on tracks featuring local Detroit vocalists like the soulful trio Dames Brown, Earthtone, and Lowell Pye. But make no mistake - The Masters Plan isn't all celestial bliss. The Hoods aren't afraid to get grimy, as evidenced by the pummelling beats of 'What A Friend'. Here, they demonstrate their mastery of techno's harder edge, crafting a track that wouldn't sound out of place in the sweatiest basement clubs of Berlin or London. It's this deft navigation between styles that makes 'The Masters Plan' so compelling. The dreamy house soundscapes of 'Feel It' provide moments of blissful respite, while collaborations like 'Fake & Unholy' with label-mate Honey Dijon inject a shot of pure dancefloor adrenaline. What's most striking about 'The Masters Plan' is how seamlessly Robert and Lyric blend their generational perspectives. Rather than a handicap, their age gap becomes a strength, allowing them to draw inspiration from decades of electronic music history while still pushing the sound forward. Ultimately,
The Masters Plan feels like both a celebration and an invitation.

Review: After years spent doing his own thing on the Drab Queen imprint, Tom Kerridge AKA Girls of the Internet made his bow on Classic back in 2022. A few superb singles later and he's ready to release his first full-length excursion for the Luke Solomon-helmed imprint, his fourth in total. Heavy on club-ready songs - mostly delivered by guest vocalists including Anelisa Lamosa, Shiv, Aliysha Joy and ALLKNIGHT - When I Was Lost I Found Myself is a fully-formed vision that wraps deep house and light-touch tech-house grooves in soulful strings, neo-soul references and nods to disco, two-step garage, orchestrated soul jams and much more besides. There's plenty of playable material on show, but it works just as well as something to listen to in headphones, in the car or at home. A genuine triumph.

Review: House music royalty par excellence, Honey Dijon is finally gracing us with a second album after she turned her artistry up a notch with 2017's The Best of Both Worlds. Once again shoring up with her spiritual home Classic, Black Girl Magic finds Dijon celebrating love in every sense of the word, and lead single 'Show Me Some Love' is a fine case in point. There's that twitchy, freaky energy she instinctively brings to the floor, plus some smouldering vocal turns from Channel Tres and Sadie Walker. Elsewhere on the album you'll find breakthrough talents and established legends aplenty, all pulled together into Dijon's sexy, funked-up strain of tech house.