Electro boogie, vocoder funk, thrift-shop-aged R&B: These are the obscure subgenres peddled by Peoples Potential Unlimited, a small and highly specialized record label based in D.C. The imprint is run by Andrew Morgan, a 16th Street Heights-based crate-digger I’ve known for several years. When he’s not tracking down rare recordings to reissue, Morgan sells mostly vinyl and tapes online—much of it through his shop, Earcave—and he gets out once in a while to play records, too.
Saturday, Morgan DJs as part of the Vanguard Festival, a nightlong noise and electronic fest presented by DIY promoters Select DC. The fest’s schedule is a mixed bag, for sure, but Morgan—who goes on after midnight—will probably be the only guy playing forgotten synth funk. To get ourselves hyped up for the show, Bandwidth commissioned a special mix from Morgan, and he delivered this eclectic, low-fidelity, and occasionally bewildering (in a good way!) sampling of some upcoming releases on PPU. Time to get dusty.
Here’s the track list, with a few helpful notes from Morgan:
1. Unknown Artist, “Jam I”
2. Moon B, “Stank Tartare”
Morgan says: To be released April 19/Record Store Day on PPU.
3. Uku & Maryn, “Ao”
Morgan says: These are some commercial demos from mother-son writing team Uku Kuut and Maryn E Coote.
4. Family of Gold, “Stink”
5. Leroy Ace Miller, “Used To Call Me”
Morgan says: While working on Ace’s masters, we found this song on the flip of an unlabeled tape. I think he had forgotten about it.
6. George Smallwood, “Loser”
Morgan says: Smallwood is a local Hyattsville, Md., soul treasure; this is an unreleased home-dubbed demo.
7. The Trash Company featuring Rama, “Mind Game”
Morgan says: From Richmond, Va., this is from an upcoming PPU test pressing, a co-release with Zentao II Publishing.
8. Mix-O-Rap aka Billy D Littlejohn, “Spitting Game”
Morgan says: This is some Gaffney, S.C., laptop rap.