Tonight the mighty Fort Knox Five host De La Soul’s DJ Maseo tonight at 14th Street hotspot Tropicalia, and I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the exit of this afternoon’s predicted nasty weather. Jon H and friends know their dance music history like no others, and their series of DC’s Finest Remints highlight the remixing and mashup skills that make their DJ sets among the best in town. The latest track Who’s Gonna Funk 4 Peace, provided generously as a FREE download, layers Mustafa Akbar’s vocals over a classic Gang Starr instrumental. RSVP for tonight’s party here.
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Category Archives: music
DJ Mixes from Nappy Riddem & Fort Knox Five
If you liked yesterday’s DC DJ mixes, I’ve got even more for your listening pleasure today. The Fort Knox Recordings gang have two new mixes to get hyped about.
First up, Nappy Riddem blends reggae vibes with modern dancefloor touches on their latest mixtape, Angle It. Grab a download at their Facebook page and catch Rex Riddem & Mustafa Akbar live this Friday at the Black Cat opening for Violet Rocker.
If you need an introduction to Fort Knox Five, the new retrospective release 10 Years of Fort Knox Five will show you what you’ve been missing. Jon Hovarth and pals maintain a busy DJing and jetsetting schedule, and the monthly DJ mix series Funk The World showcase their distinctive and worldly tastes. My highlight from this mix is the FK5 Remix of Maria Juana by labelmates Empresarios, out later this month.
DJ Mixes from Nadastrom & Pentamon
DC, do you need some DJ mixes to get you through the afternoon? Good, cuz here are a couple of local gems for your streaming pleasure.
In case you missed the tribute to DC mix that LA transplants Nadastrom put together for the BBC Radio show Diplo & Friends back in February, the hour long set featuring tunes from locals & expats Tittsworth, Fugazi, Doug Lazy, Oddisee, Deep Dish and lots more is now streaming on SoundCloud.
U Street Music Hall owner and Volta Bureau employee Will Eastman, under his new solo moniker Pentamon, put together a nice mix for the Baltimore music blog More Or Less’s mix series MOLCAST. This DJ mix devoted to techno parallels the new Saturday night vibe at U Hall. Enjoy!
New Releases from Vandaveer, Taylor Carson & Fort Knox Five
Today marks the release of hot new albums by three of Hometown Sounds’ favorite local musicians.
Oh, Willie, Please… by Vandaveer
The duo of Mark Charles Heidinger and Rose Guerin should be well known to everyone in DC. In addition to making award-winning videos, their clear and assured vocals quiet a chatty room more than anyone else. Their latest effort is a collection of old-time murder ballads, more bleak than previous efforts but still musically spot-on. Pick this release up on their webstore on FLAC for only $1 more!
With Innocence by Taylor Carson
Taylor Carson is a singer songwriter with a captivating voice and a low-key, honest style. He’s toured with Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers, Edwin McCain, and just the other night opened for Carly Rae Jepsen at a fundraiser hosted by President Bill Clinton. His new album With Innocence, the first in three years, fills out his sound with a full band and guests Marc Roberge, Andy Poliakoff and Stephen Kellogg. Come out to Iota Saturday night for the album release show!
10 Years by Fort Knox Five
Has it really been 10 years since I was buying early FK5 singles at DJ Hut? That midtempo funk groove was just what I needed as I learned how to spin vinyl just as that artform was overtaken by MP3s. Jon Hovarth is the head of both Fort Knox Five and their strong local label Fort Knox Recordings, putting out fantastic releases by See-I, Nappy Riddem, Empresarios, All Good Funk Alliance and more. Fort Knox Five’s DJ sets, regularly appearing at U Street’s Tropicalia, are a funky, feelgood breath of fresh air from the other nearby clubs that are still spinning Call Me Maybe and Gangnam Style. Their new retrospective collection 10 Years Of Fort Knox Five includes a tasty selection of hits from their 2009 debut album Radio Free DC and other assorted and remastered singles, including the brand new track Stand Up.
We Were Pirates – Dear Mr. Watterson film score
Mike Boggs, frontman of the indie pop band We Were Pirates, recently took a break from performing to compose the score to the Calvin & Hobbes documentary film Dear Mr. Watterson. The Kickstarted film is currently touring the film festival circuit, and while we patiently wait for a DC showing, the score was released today. Stream the whole thing at SoundCloud and buy it at WWP’s Bandcamp page in full uncompressed glory!
Alma Tropicalia – Irene (Dave Clayton Remix)
Brazilian Tropicalia music revivalists Alma Tropicália just posted a new remix of their song Irene, from last year’s catchy self-titled debut EP, by Dave Clayton of Philly duo Clayton & Fulcrum. This mix turns up the funk and house vibes, bringing more of a dance floor appeal to the original. I’ll definitely be keeping this track in my digital DJ crate for the springtime! Download this gem for free now!
The Good Thing @ Tropicalia Friday night
Have you checked out Tropicalia yet? This new hotspot is not what you’d expect from its address right at the corner of 14th & U. The music is consistently eclectic and consistently top quality, pushing the boundaries of clubgoers knowledge and familiarity. Tonight new DC funk band The Good Thing wants you to get down to their sultry grooves, and they’ve released What Can I Do, the first track from their debut EP Ain’t Nobody Gonna Stop Me, as a free download to get you in the mood. The show starts early at 8 PM for only $10, so RSVP here.
Mission South – Patagonia (Blue Light Sessions)
Bluesy rockers Mission South just posted a stream of their new song Peaches, the first track from their upcoming EP Migration Vol. 2 that drops April 9th.
The band is currently touring the east coast, and this Saturday night they play a hometown show at Velvet Lounge with fantastic local openers The North Country and Linsay Deming from the band Sweetbread Jim’s. Our music video of the day comes from the Blue Light Sessions series from Pick-Up Productions, a live take of Mission South performing Patagonia from their FREE debut EP Migration Vol. 1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygra1t9MqXk
Afternoon Streaming: DJ Mixes by All Good Funk Alliance & Empresarios
Here’s a couple of hot new DJ mixes from Fort Knox Recordings bands to get you through the afternoon and onto the weekend!
All Good Funk Alliance – Radio SoLoud 19.02.2013
(free download at http://www.mediafire.com/?biv696kjt8xkswm)
Empresarios – Surviving The Golden Age DJ Mix – March 2013
(free download at https://www.facebook.com/EmpresariosMusica/app_220150904689418)
Hometown Sounds 