DJ CHILLY (aka WILL MYERS; KEXP; ¡Manos Arriba!)
Current top 5 tracks:
ÌFÉ, “Bangah (Pico y Palo)” (Discos Ifá)
“This Puerto Rican collective dropped my favorite innovation of the last year, the LP IIII + IIII, and this track is a hands-down neck-snapper every time.”
Empress Of, “Trust Me Baby” (Terrible Records)
“Producer/singer-songwriter Lorely Rodriguez been dropping hard hitting icy, beautiful R&B tracks and these brand-new bilingual cuts are exactly what I wanted. I can’t wait to see what else she’s got.”
Mint Field “Quiero Otoño De Nuevo” (Innovative Leisure)
“This young Tijuana duo and band excel at noisy shoegaze far beyond their years, and with this track they get a bit motorik, which is mad delightful.”
Balún, “El Espanto” (Good Child Music)
“Puerto Rican, NYC-based, Balún are one to watch with their super-creative dreambow, and this track is a great representation of the Caribbean crashing up against dream-pop with surprising twists and turns along the way.”
Niña Dioz, “Tambalea (feat. Lido Pimienta & Ceci Bastida)” (Nacional)
“Three favorites on this tropical hiphop swayer with biting lyrics about being yourself regardless of how you or anyone defines your gender or sexuality.”
Crew: “Chilly is a DJ, creative producer/audio editor and writer for Seattle-based radio station KEXP 90.3FM. He’s the producer and host of KEXP’s modern Latin mixshow El Sonido (Mondays 6 pm-9 pm PST), and is also a club DJ with the Seattle Latin/global bass crew ¡Manos Arriba! and an avid soul and funk vinyl collector and Polaroid photographer.”
Styles played: “In the club, I usually spin global/Latin bass or classic funk and soul. On the radio, I do modern Latin sounds of all genres and fill in on the roots or reggae shows. I dig it all, though, if it’s good. I’ve done everything from rockabilly to hiphop, and my classic country vinyl collection is stellar. Usually I don’t like anthemic or whiny stuff. It’s mostly got to be funky, rebellious, or sexy, or we’re unlikely to date.”
DJing philosophy: “Sticking to what I do. I’m never gonna be the guy you want to hire to do your Top-40 night or your wedding. Not many people, especially around these parts, play what I do, and I’m not going to water it down for anyone. Flow is paramount. And, dear god, beat-matching is still important. Finding connections in tracks that you might not think go together is amazing, especially cross genres. I want to challenge myself and the crowd every single time, as long as we’re both having fun. Being creative and having fun while bringing joy to people is why DJing is a blast.”
Format: “Vinyl is always preferred, and my favorite DJ gigs are still classic and rare ’60s and ’70s soul and funk mixes. All-7” sets are an extra joy. When I’m doing beats, I like to use Serato with vinyl control, if possible.”
Worst request: “People request lame shit all the time, but in general I don’t hold that against humanity. I’m sure a lot of the stuff I like some people would think sucks. I don’t understand why folks request something in the club we’ve all already heard 50 times that week, but hey. [Requesting things that are] off topic is the annoying part. If you’re listening to a DJ do a dancehall set, why would you request the Chainsmokers or the B-52s? Go to a different club.”
Upcoming events: “Starting May 8, and then continuing on every first Tuesday through the summer, you can catch me on the regular playing Latin and global bass, hiphop, electronic at Mbar— great rooftop vibes for a Seattle summer. Sometimes I get to help book bands from Latin America at local clubs, and I’m also curating a few stages at Northwest Folklife Festival this year.”
Cinco de Mayo, Saturday May 5 – Latin music at Little Water Cantina
¡Manos Arriba! Tuesday, May 8 and then every first Tuesday of summer
Fremont Solstice Parade, Saturday June 16 – Latin, funk, hiphop at Nectar Lounge
Ruido Fest, Friday June 22 – Latin bass at Addams/Medill Park in Chicago, IL
Tasting Flight, Friday, July 27 – Latin, funk/soul at Woodland Park Zoo
Regular: “¡Manos Arriba! Tuesday, May 8, and then every first Tuesday of summer; Latin/global bass, funk, hiphop, electronic at Mbar. El Sonido every Monday 6 pm-9 pm on KEXP. Modern Latin mix.”
