with StéLouse LITTLE PEOPLE You could be forgiven for thinking that growing up in the Swiss alps in the 90′s wouldn’t exactly be the best place to be exposed to some of the best underground hip hop New York had to offer at the time. However anglo-swiss producer Laurent Clerc AKA Little People, argues he couldn’t have been in a better place. Thanks to the forward thinking programming of Laurent’s local radio station and a DJ with his finger on the pulse of a golden age in the making in New York – Laurent’s musical education in all things hip hop was of the highest order. An old Mac and a stack of old LPs were mere catalysts for Laurent to try and emulate the sounds from across the pond. A subsequent move to the UK introduced electronica to his broadening taste and influenced his own sound. Then followed work soundtracking short films and theater productions which added a cinematic element to his repertoire. Following a disheartening stint doing some production work for a Paris based hip hop label convinced Laurent that he should be doing things on his own terms. A self released EP led to being picked up by Illicit Recordings in London – through which “Mickey Mouse Operation” was eventually released. This was 2006 and his debut album only made a very modest splash. Over the past 4 years it has however turned into something of a sleeper ‘hit’ – gathering fervent support in the US and slowly climbing the US iTunes electronic chart in the process. Laurent seems to have timed the release of his second album perfectly – due to drop in Spring next year just as the interest in his first album is peaking. Little people’s sound is part beats, bleeps and snippets of other people’s music. Stemming from hip hop, it effortlessly combines warm synths, intricate melodies and string arrangements. The cinematic quality of his sound led to his music being used on CSI and other shows in the US and UK. Little people’s upcoming album sees Laurent shift his focus away from what he feels is the over reliance of samples in his genre, towards composition and the use of organic instrumentation – whilst keeping the trademark warmth of an old piece of vinyl. However rest assured, the beats and the synth bleeps are still very much on the menu. FORT KNOX 5 The FORT KNOX FIVE have the midas touch for producing heavy hitting records. Since 2003, they have released an arsenal of floor rocking singles and remixes from their Washington DC based label, Fort Knox Recordings. Sid Barcelona, Jon Horvath, Rob Myers and Steve Raskin are the masterminds behind the FORT KNOX FIVE. Their signature ‘Fort Knox Sound’ seamlessly interweaves live instrumentation with funky electronic breakbeats. In 2006 they released the critically acclaimed ‘The New Gold Standard’ to showcase the groundbreaking sounds from their premier funk and soul label. The FORT KNOX FIVE’s talent for organic hooks has made them highly sought after producers and remixers. They have over 20 remixes to their credit, including monster mixes for A. Skillz and Krafty Kuts, Kraak & Smaak, Ursula 1000, Dynamo Productions, and Mo’ Horizons, as well as remixes for the legendary Tito Puente, Louis Armstrong, and Bob Marley. The FORT KNOX FIVE has coined the term ‘Reminted’ to represent their signature remixing style. They released the first ‘Reminted’ CD showcasing some of their favorite productions in a continuous DJ mix in 2007. Further cementing the FORT KNOX FIVE’s reputation, Afrika Bambaataa—the godfather of hip-hop—asked them to produce four tracks on his latest album Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light released on the legendary Tommy Boy Label. Tapped by URB Magazine for its annual “Next 100” list, the FORT KNOX FIVE’s music has been featured on major compilation, films, television shows, commercials and video games. Most recently their music has been featured in the FRINGE tv show on Fox, and video games Tiger Woods 2009 & Facebreaker. They also finished exclusive production on six original interactive tracks in the Fort Knox style for EA Sports’ Skate 2 & Skate It game soundtracks. As DJs, they know how to rock a party with infectious grooves that effortlessly move from funk, reggae, and hip-hop to prime time beats & breaks. Their unique DJ style has proven irresistible to clubgoers worldwide. They have performed on 5 continents, and in over 25 different countries. Their music & skills caught the attention of Gwen Stefani, who asked the FORT KNOX FIVE to be her tour DJs for her Harajuku Lovers tour with the Black Eyed Peas. For their highly anticipated debut album, RADIO FREE D.C., the FORT KNOX FIVE took things back to their roots, and kept the vibe centered around the city they love, Washington D.C. Home to many pioneering artists like Marvin Gaye, Chuck Brown and Fugazi, they draw upon their city’s rich musical heritage of funk, soul, punk and hip-hop for their inspiration. The FORT KNOX FIVE invited their close friends from around the Nation’s Capitol, including Asheru (Unspoken Heard), Mustafa Akbar, Rootz & Zeebo (See-I), Sleepy Wonder, Javier Miranda, and Ian Svenonius (Nation of Ulysses/The Make Up) to help them create a record that captures DC’s musical diversity. In July of 2009, RADIO FREE D.C. REMIXED was released and featured 16 dancefloor remixes of original tunes from the RADIO FREE D.C. album. Such luminaries as The Nextmen, A Skillz, Nick Thayer, Deekline & Ed Solo featuring Shunda K, Malente, and Sub Swara lent a hand to rework these songs into a completely new form. The Fort Knox Five have just released their next label compilation, The New Gold Standard 2, which features 4 new Fort Knox Five songs along with new tunes from their Fort Knox Recordings label mates