You’d think that Andrew Field-Pickering–between rapping in Food For Animals, DJing in Beautiful Swimmers, and running his own record label (Future Times)–probably has enough cool urban-music-oriented-work to fill his days. But one more thing can’t hurt, can it? Field-Pickering recently launched “Heal Yourself and Move,” a column devoted to dance music, electronic music, deep vibes, and all things in between, that will run bi-weekly on Fader’s website. You can check out the first post–a mission statement, but also a thorough lab session on the work of teenage techno-genius Kyle Hall–here.

If funk music has a Zen guru, it’s probably Dam Funk. For the Los Angeles-based producer/DJ, funk isn’t just a style of music, it’s a higher state of being. It’s an inspirational and quasi-spiritual pursuit that one might practice in order to achieve perfect harmony with the past, present, and future. Dam Funk’s answering machine message includes only one word before the beep: funkmosphere. But that’s pretty much all the information that you need. It’s where Dam Funk’s consciousness resides. It’s also a weekly DJ night that he hosts. But even if you live far from the West coast, it’s still a place that he can help you get to, you just have to tune into his music–precision-programmed grooves and lush analog synth chords that ripple through the hi-fi like the water in a freshly chlorinated swimming pool. He was kind enough to talk with Washington City Paper about boogie, modern funk, and, among other things, memories from the future.

Dam Funk will perform Thursday, May 7, at 930 Club with Peanut Butter Wolf, James Pants, and Mayer Hawthorne.
Read More “Q&A: Dam Funk” »

DJs Andrew Field-Pickering and Ari Goldman, known collectively as Beautiful Swimmers, recently completed their first 12″ record, “Swimmers Groove” b/w “O Yeah”, which will soon be available from local dance Future Times. With its sampled call-and-response vocals, its sequenced synths, and its lake of gated reverb, it’s pretty decadent. Sort of like Brian Eno scoring a Michael Mann film, if that makes any sense.

In the meantime, this music video for “O Yeah” should give you a pretty good idea of the record’s sub-aquatic-kraut-rock vibe.

When I first heard about this it was just a concert/dance party, but now the affair has been upgraded to Wonkette’s inauguration party. Which changes very little, except that now a few more people will probably show up.

Otherwise it’s just going to be business as usual. Local duo Big Gold Belt, who sound kind of like a dirty version of 80s-pop band Nu Shooz, will perform with DJs Andrew Morgan and Beautiful Swimmers (Future Times records’ Maximillion Dunbard and Ari G) spinning funk and disco records shortly afterwards. By the way, BYOB.

Big Gold Belt, Andrew Morgan, Beautiful Swimmers
Friday, 1/16 at 10 pm.
Liz Glover’s Bikram Yoga Capitol Hill
410 H Street NE
$5 (Suggested donation, don’t be stingy!)