Today is a great day for groovin’, as Washington, DC’s synthed-out dance duo Party Bros. (Gavin Holland & Chris Burns) have released their first effort with the Party Bros. EP, and it hits a couple of stores nearby. Seeking to shine a spotlight on the off-kilter stylings that inspired them, this new release is the first in line to showcase some of the underground heat on their new label, Mysteries of the Mind.
Both Holland and Burns are staples of the disco/house scene of the DC area and have been throwing events of all sizes as well as laying claim to regular weekend spots for years. Burns spotlights at weekly gigs and holds down the Dance/12″ section at Joe’s Record Paradise. Holland’s Nouveau Riche is monthly dance excursion that has been claiming folk’s weekends for 5+ years at venues all around town. The duo uses these parties and events as a platform to play groove-heavy tracks you’d never expect Skrillex or Deadmau5 to drop.
DJs Chris Burns (left), Gavin Holland (right)
This release marks a major step forward in getting ears around their left-of-center sound. Founding their brand new label, Holland and Burns have created the perfect channel for broadcasting their aural offerings. Taking advantage of the warm sounds and addicting aesthetics of vinyl, Mysteries of the Mind seeks to bring a catchy foreign sound to open minds.
The cuts on the premiere release are laid out with throwback ’80s synth work over airtight kick/snare beat combos and are as catchy as they are well-produced. What’s most refreshing and surprising about the release is the duo’s choice to release it primarily on the vinyl medium, with downloads to come in the future. Citing reasons involving a physical aesthetic, the decision to use vinyl also carries a clever marketing strategy. Chris Burns remarks, “there is so much music being produced and released these days, we agreed it was a necessary step to take control and invest substantially into our own product in order for it to have the greatest impact.”
To get your vinyl-addicted hands on the 12″, head on over to the Mysteries of the Mind website to pick up a copy. You can also meet Burns at Joe’s Record Paradise, where copies will be sold starting today. Another local favorite, Som Records, will also have the EP in stock as of today. To see the Party Bros. party in action, you can catch them on any given Friday (Holland) or Saturday (Burns) flipping tracks at Lost Society on U Street, where they hold the weekend residencies.
Be sure to stay tuned to their label in the following months for more upcoming vinyl releases; the ambitous duo plan on four releases this year.
