Beautiful Swimmers: The Future of East Coast House

Since 2008, the Beautiful Swimmers have been at the forefront of the recent East Coast house and techno revival. Ari and Andrew not only produce their own tracks, but also DJ some of the wildest dance parties in the world — from the recently closed 285 Kent in Brooklyn to Amsterdam and beyond.

The Swimmers are all smiles as they discuss their affinity for dance floor rhythms and the District of Columbia’s fertile record bins. Andrew aka Maxmillion Dunbar, a bearish dude with a burly beard, stands behind the counter at Academy Records on East 12th for a Sean Rowland’s (http://flavorsavor.tumblr.com) curated in-store. He explains, “D.C. has its own musical identity and vibe. It is racially and culturally diverse and the record stores are filled with oddball jams.” As we chat, they seamlessly lace the shop with a patchwork of hypnotic, tropical and futuristic sounds.

The Swimmers self-release dance-floor-bombs on their own Future Times label. Their productions are a rich tapestry of sample snippets, rubbery bass lines, deep drum kicks, bell chimes and flurries of handclaps. Listen to Swimmers Groove (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jSWf8yQ3p8 ) or Big Coast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1bkFvWUM14) and catch the vibe.

Below Andrew and Ari share ten selections from their personal record collections. Even a cursory listen to these tracks will leave behind a residual film of sun tan lotion, salt water and spilt Mai Tai. Welcome to the future beautiful people.

33 1/3 Queen — Volume One (Nu Groove Records) 1990

Ari: I had a hard time deciding what Nu Groove record to pick for this article. It reminds me of having to decide which to pack before a party. There are so many amazing Nu Groove releases. The 33 1/3 Queen record was one of the first that I discovered and it is still one of my favorites. There isn’t a bad track on here but “Disco 4” (on the B-side) is my jam! The song is based on a simple Fantastic Four sample. It is so killer and always packs the floor! A very influential tune for us. All of the B-side was produced by Daryll “Mandrill” Harris, a legendary DJ here in DC. The A-side is an early production from Baltimore’s Basement Boys and features another classic track “Searchin’”.

Andrea Stone — Body Party (Tres Vogue Records) 1985

Ari: Without a doubt one of my finest scoops from the Dollar Bin! Also one of the finest boogie records from my collection. To be real, I did not know how desirable this record was when I found it but it certainly had “the look”. And it’s called “Body Party”! Also, I remembered Andrea Stone as the singer of Radiance “You’re My Number 1”. Then I got home from the shop and was psyched! For me, the extended instrumental mix on the A-side is where it’s at… synth boogie perfection with a splash of vocoders! Not just rare but extremely funky, and it has that strong Herbie Powers mastering job!

Ryo Kawasaki — Concierto De Aranjuez (Philips) 1982

Ari: I believe this LP was only released in Japan. It is quite a strange record from the Japanese jazz-fusion guitarist. The majority of the record rides the line between ambient soundscapes and jazzy guitar explorations, similar to lots of ECM releases. However, “Hawaiian Caravan” is more cosmic than cosmic! This is the track where Kawasaki totally nails the vibe. New age funk at its finest. Everyone needs to hear this one; I can’t get enough of it. Slow motion 808s collide with tropical guitar riffs creating the perfect atmosphere. This is one of those pina colada, sitting by the beach kind of tunes. For real.

Jackie Esam — Movin’ (B.M.C.A.) 1985

Ari: This record started my fascination with soca and zouk records that cross over into disco. “Movin’” is beyond funky! It has such delicate instrumentation and yet so much power. Not sure exactly what country Jackie is from but her vocals are really special. What’s funny is I always noticed these very “cool-looking” Caribbean records when I first started digging and never checked them out. This was the first one I took a chance on and it turned out to be amazing! However, I feel almost a requirement to check out every soca record I find now. Unfortunately, almost none of them are this good. It is a good sign when it starts with a crazy synthesizer wash!

D.I.E. — The Unseen (M.A.P. Records) 1997

Ari: I first heard this record when I was on tour with Novamen in 2006. The incredible DJ Overdose rocked “R U Married” at many of our parties. Once you hear this song you never forget it. Never. It is not only unique but also incredibly hypnotic and catchy. While a classic synth line repeats over and over, lodging deep in your brain, the vocals deliver an awesome shock to the system. A series of blunt repeated questions…”Are you married? Are you occupied? You got kids? How bout HIV?” become the strange mantra of the party. Then eventually the drums totally kick in and bam! This song killed it last summer when we played in Ulm, Germany. People were lovin’ it. Like a lot of D.I.E. tracks, this tune is a bit too fast for me so I generally like to mix it pitched down.

Janet Jackson — Miss You Much (Oh I Like That Mix) (A&M Records) 1989

Max: This is easily the illest $1 record that I’ve run into for years. Who would’ve thought that hidden on the “Miss You Much” 12" is a breakbeat house experiment by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with co-production and keyboards by Miss Janet herself? This record is a mess. Thumping 808s meet funky breaks (but not “funky breaks”) to create a foundation, and then circus noises, snippets of Janet in the booth and cool, dreamy vocal stabs from the original mix are recontextualized and thrown through the mix. It all comes together for a nasty groove, as well as a lot of “wait, what the fuck is this? I know this…” looks from the dancers.

$tinkworx/Kinoeye — MKB/Mean Old World (W.T. Records) 2009

Max: The $tinkworx song on here is no joke. But the reason I keep this record in the bag is because of “Mean Old World.” The track is full of bobbing, syncopated bass drums and synth loops that fly around the mix, giving it a cool, dark bounce that definitely makes the right party bubble. And then the vocal comes in, and it’s a classic. Made from a blues sample, and all the more beautiful coming out of mellow lungs, the lyrics are more of a mantra for me at this point: “It’s a mean old world / You got to fight to stay in it, though / You got to scuffle / You gotta be strong / You gotta do your thing.” Perfect!

Bluemoon Productions — Track Show (Volume Two) (Code Blue Records) 1990

Max: This 12" was one of many recorded by Gene Hughes, also known as Bluejean. Gene was a producer in the early 90's Jersey house scene. Earlier this year I started talking to him on the phone about re-issuing songs from this record and the first “Track Show” EP, through my label Future Times. We would chat and he was a very nice, funny dude on the phone. He said he had gotten into doing jingles for TV in the years since producing the “Track Show” EPs and told me, “Boss, all that shit you hear on commercials….that’s Bluejean!” He also thought it was hilarious that we wanted to reissue these songs. We were basically waiting for him to send us masters of the tracks, and around the end of spring we decided to figure out the rest of the details, during the summer, for a fall release. Unbeknownst to me, Gene was headed to prison to serve time. The time was cut short when, due to his failing health, Gene was released from prison early, in July. Tragically, he was killed in a hit and run in Jersey City right after being released. The hit and run is still unsolved. “D” is my personal favorite song on this record. It sounds very much like a Jersey version of “I Can’t Stop” by Plez, featuring tons of jungle noises and great synth tones that place it firmly in the 90's. It’s very beautiful and uplifting, full of intersecting melodies that build on each other to really make you feel it in your chest. It’s a little heavier for me these days.

Projection — Turn Your Love (Right Around) (Elite) 1986

Max: UK boogie is some the most affectionate and endearing music ever made, and this tune is no exception. I love the vocals so much! Like so many UK boogie records the singer here is a woman stuck between professional and amateur, doing it so right by accident. This is just sweet, sweet soul. Andy Sojka, the producer and arranger behind Atmosfear, Powerline, Dolette McDonald’s “(Xtra) Special”, and more, is behind the scenes on this one, with a track of futuristic 808 R&B. The “Blues Mix” is also sick; Andy holds back on the melodies to create an icy 808 world.

Test of Time — People Change (Equity Records) 1987

Max: Marcus Thompson from Test of Time was also in Timex Social Club, crafters of another Swimmers classic “Thinkin’ About Ya.” A year after that dropped, for whatever reason, Marcus and T.O.T. joined up with James Mtume and made this killer slice of (very “1987”) R&B in Northwest DC, not five minutes from where we do our thing. When I first heard “People Change” I got that feeling that you get when you hear something for the first time that’s so immediately classic that you feel as if you must’ve heard it before. Fat drums, a slight go-go feel (DC son!), and a brilliant hook make this a beast.