If you’ve spent any time dancing or partying around D.C. over the last decade, the name Will Eastman is sure to ring some bells. The DJ, music producer and owner of U Street Music Hall is also the driving force behind a wide variety of themed dance parties in the District, including disco, French House, and 90s hip hop, just to name a few. Eastman’s musical taste has always been broad and all encompassing, and that affinity for a diverse range of genres is reflected in his upcoming album, Breathe, a record that paints quite an eclectic sonic landscape in just eight tracks.
Eastman is a skilled producer, and seems to innately understand what will get an audience’s attention – likely a product of spending over a decade making people dance in cities across the United States. “May The First” is my favorite track from the record, with a percussive piano motif that crashes into sustained, airy chords that inhale and exhale deeply. Reminiscent of the works of Brian Eno or Chicane, this is a song I’d can imagine coming on around 2:30 a.m. to signal the start of a great tech house set.
Breathe is out February 8. It will be available on all major streaming platforms.