• Rajiv Munch is a 23 year old Dutchman with a Bone Thugs n Harmony Afro and an amazing story. Having been a producer for over a decade, (yes, meaning he started at 13) he became inspired by the developing sound of moombahton. Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of reggaeton, the producer had been dabbling in underground sounds for some time. Weaving his way through the African percussion of kuduro, and having tried Baltimore club, the blend of his native country’s contribution to house music being blended reggaeton was an invitation to his genius. Munchi doesn’t make tracks, he makes bombastic statements of dance floor domination. Blend the take no prisoners attitude of Jesse Tittsworth and blend it with the drum programming knowledge of a dirty South producer gone mad, and you end up with the vicious style of DJ Munchi.  He plays alongside the highly talented crew of Fools Gold Records head Nick Catchdubs, New York bass diva Jess Jubilee and NYC stalwart and T & Records chief with the aforementioned Tittsworth, DJ Ayres tonight as the trio’s Flashing Lights party has it’s quarterly DC residency.  Listening to Munchi’s tracks, like any of his hardcore “moombahcore” creations, or the staccato sub woofer killing field that is his kuduro drum based remix of DC homie Steve Starks’ “Git Em” can only be best done at U Street Music Hall.
• DC’s Sweet Spot on 19th Street in the Golden Triangle opened about three months after U Street Music Hall. The spot was not as well though out and developed as the now growing in world renown “temple of boom,” but word on the street is that the club is slowly evolving nicely into a solid venue. I’ll stop by on Friday night to check out what I’d describe as Flying Lotus meets minimalism and deep progressive house duo No Regular Play. They play alongside DJ Slow Hands as the Brooklyn collective Wolf and Lamb invade the monthly mnmlife minimal and prog house celebration. No Regular Play’s Afro-cuban and jazz influenced work, highlighted HERE are worth the trip to a night spot you’re likely less than familiar with.

Ghostland Observatory are described in their press bio as “Freddie Mercury meets Daft Punk.” I tend to really enjoy groups that take a rock edge with live instrumentation to house music at 9:30 Club, as though many antagonize about the acoustics, it’s the only spot in the city large enough to truly handle the size and depth of the sound. Overpowering for U Hall and out of place at Fur, this is where DC really needs a well supported and monolithic dance related structure that doesn’t cater to Top 40, electro and trance. All sidebar aside, the event is sold out, which continues a great trend for giant dance acts touring the city in 2010.

Will Eastman closes out the year at Bliss at U Street Music Hall this Saturday night with a really fantastic lineup. Too often, we get focused on DJs being great producers. Yes, there’s a need to be adept at production in order to advance your name, as in 2010, there’s a person spinning records before they’re truly ready to move a crowd every minute, but perfecting that craft before developing the art of being a producer has been the modus operandi for this entire trio of spinners. David Sumner and Obeyah are top notch. Obeyah? He’s from DC and blends soulful, funky and deep house into extremely emotive moombahton. Sumner’s locally respected with a growing name and style,  his time locally at Fly Lounge of particular note. But above all else, Eastman, Sumner and Obeyah are truly great and technically proficient DJs with a respect for the craft and professional excellence. A great night is the only expectation.

INTERVIEWS

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Markus Schulz is the #8 most popular DJ in the world. His 2010 release Do You Dream? was a well received trance smash, that, like so many other heavy hitters in the genre now includes terrific vocals and house elements to blend alongside the expansive synths that are part and parcel to the sound. I interviewed him before the Electric Zoo Festival this year, which he quotes as “the most important new event in clubland.”

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Right next to him on the DJ Mag countdown at #7 is Gareth Emery. If needing a current album to really introduce you to what makes trance great, I’d suggest Armin van Buuren’s top tier composition Mirage, or Emery’s Northern Lights. Emery truly employs a punk rock aesthetic to trance, which is unusual for the sound, but par for the course for the artist. Folk singers and soul divas along with pianos and heavy guitars all add to the unique soul of Emery’s debut  album. Unafraid to take risks as a live spinner, his set at Glow at Fur a few months back was a study in taking a crowd on a journey to the deep, largely minimal until he expanded into cuts from his release. For those unaware, it was disconcerting. For true appreciators, it was a welcome remembrance of things past.

You want another video?

“Clotheslines” by Saadi from Brooklyn’s Dither Down Records. Syrian vocalist. Propulsive bassline. Overall excellent.

Intrigued in further discussion about dance music? Follow me on Twitter at @marcuskdowling, or feel free to email me at dowling.marcus.k AT gmail.com. As well, this is not a compendium of every dance event in the DC area for the next seven days. Please use BYT ALL CITY as a resource for that venture. Thanks for reading!