Growing up in the south of England in the 90s, Si Burr (aka Floored Capri) was heavily exposed to the underground rave scene from an early age. He spent his evenings and weekends as a boy listening to jungle and hardcore tape packs (Dreamscape, Fantasia etc), tuning religiously into local pirate radio stations and dreaming of making underground music comprising dirty basslines and gritty samples. He later began to lean towards more experimental electronic artists and accumulated records from the likes of Aphex Twin, Sabres of Paradise, Future Sound of London, Photek, Eboman and Boards of Canada, in addition to experimental hip hop, dub and electro from UK labels such as Ninja Tune, Mo'Wax and Grand Central Records. Luke Vibert, Yppah, RJD2, Prefuse 73 and more recently Diplo and Flying Lotus are all cited by Si as key influences in the development of the Floored Capri sound system as it is today.
It began with a 4-track cassette player and a scratchy set of demos which went on myspace in 2006. Si then attended a music production course at the Academy of Contemporary Music, and after setting up a makeshift studio in his spare room he learnt how to merge samples from his 4-track and from his record and dvd collection with organic noises and sounds produced using a growing artillery of instruments. In 2009 East Midlands hip hop group The Anomalies sent out a promo cd featuring a Floored Capri remix of one of their tracks to various magazines, djs and promoters accross the UK. Following some excellent reviews and after considerable help from Jon Kennedy, Si was snapped up in 2010 by Organik Recordings, the label to which Jon is also signed.
The L PLates EP is the culmination of the last 3 years of Si's musical journey and, regardless of what its title may suggest, the end result here is far from that of a learner!
Starting off the record we have Porcini Sundown, a magnifcently alternative take on an anthemic four-to-the-floor banger with synths crashing through it which bring to mind a Clockwork Orange era Wendy Carlos, or a Bladerunner-esque soundtrack by Vangelis. Swarms and swarms of ear-arresting samples, atmospherics and two well placed drops to a lovely piano lick which finally ends the piece.
Next up is I Tell You What, which with it's old school shouts, bumbly broken beats and jazzy piano breaks is a really catchy track indeed. You can hear an earlier mashed up version of this with DJ Shadow's Blood on the Motorway and Leftfield's Release the Pressure on the Floored Capri Soundcloud page
-soundcloud.com/floored-capri - and if you look closely you may even notice a comment on there from Shadow himself!
We then move into an even more dark 'n dubby zone with side A's closing track Record Breaker. Some more delicious piano breakdowns and a floaty, ethereal backdrop which really comes into its own in the second half, complementing the relentless rolling rhythm running through it. The track's dialogue and theme also gives Si the perfect opportunity to introduce us to his good friend DJ Stuf, who lends a hand with some punchy background scratches in the middle section.
In contrast to side A, side B leaps in immediately with a carefully constructed brass and string intro. This is the epic beginning section to Mohawk Dawn, which culminates in the introductuion of one of the most haunting and addictive harp loops you're ever likely to hear. We're then treated to a beatbox showcase courtesy of Beetrecca, the third cog in Floored Capri's recently formed live wheel, and this brazen intro should by now have you locked in. This is a mammoth tune which builds and rolls with a seriously cool and laid-back attitude. I'm pleased to say that further into it we are again blessed with the return of that sensational harp and this time around we hear it in conjunction with the gloriously glitchy beat which drives the whole track.
Lastly, track 5 commences with a good old fashioned bit of snap, crackle & pop!! What Time is It? also has a sinisterness which is unparallelled by anything else on this record. It bangs along with its nifty, almost Burial-like beat, evil undertone and chauvinistic attitude right through to the end of the piece where a gradual crescendo literally leaves your ear-drums begging for mercy!
(Track 6 is a bonus track and has to remain a secret for now I'm afraid!!)
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Tracklisting:
1. Porcini Sundown
2. I Tell You What
3. Record Breaker
4. Mohawk Dawn
5. What Time Is It?
6. Bonus Track
released October 21, 2010
