Artists of the Day: Fort Knox Five, Various Tracks, 2003-2009 (Fort Knox Recordings)

Much like the Japanese manufacturing juggernaut that became famous for taking existing products and making them better, smarter, and more durable, the Washington D.C. collective Fort Knox Five (despite its name, a Foursome) has built its reputation by taking existing songs and remixing them into something more grooveworthy, playful, inventive, and more often than not, catchier and more funkified than the originals! They’ve found notoriety serving up remixes for a who’s who of funk, jazz, hip hop, afro-cuban, and electronica, including: A. Skillz and Krafty Kuts, Afrika Bambataa, All Good Funk Alliance, Bitter:Sweet, Bob Marley, Chris Joss, Joe Bataan, Kraak and Smaak, Louis Armstrong, Mo’ Horizons, Nickodemus, Thunderball, Tito Puente, Torpedo Boyz, Tower of Power, and Ursula 1000.

Yet it should not be overlooked that Fort Knox Five have also released their own material on their Fort Knox Recordings label going back to 2003, including several singles and EPs, an LP (2008’s Radio Free DC), and appropriately, issued a Remix LP of their own tracks, 2009’s Radio Free DC Remixed. Things have been quieter for the FKF in the past couple of years. As FKF member Jon Horvath explains in the below video, Fort Knox Five have been focusing on producing and remixing many other artists under their growing Fort Knox Recordings label, which has understandably limited their DJ sets, full-band live performances, and studio recordings for the time being.

In the meantime, there’s plenty left to explore and enjoy for Fort Knox Five neophytes. I’ve assembled a short playlist of some of my fave FKF tracks below. Five of the six are FKF originals, either purely instrumental tracks or at most filled with vocal samples, while the sixth one, ‘Ain’t it Funky,’ contains full vocals.

These 6 tracks will take you on groove-infused electronic breakbeats journey through the Fort Knox Five sound collage, from the Latin Jazz/Funk of ‘Blowing up the Barrio’ and ‘The Brazilian Hipster (Dr. Rubberfunk Mix), to the Deep Soul/Funk of A. Skillz and Krafty Kuts’ ‘Ain’t it Funky (Fort Knox Five Vocal Remix), and the Trip-Hop/House/Electro club vibes of ‘Blowing up the Spot,’ ‘Robbing the Room’ and ‘The Party Pushers (Smalltown Romeo Remix).’

1. Ain't It Funky (Featuring A. Skillz and Krafty Kuts, Fort Knox Five Vocal Remix, 2005)

‘ I Gotta Feed the Funk

Get my Mind off the Junk

Melt it Down to a Churning Burning Hunk

That’s the Way My Peeps Pull the Funk Outta Me!’

2. Blowing Up the Barrio (2004, from the EP Blowing Up the Barrio)


3. The Brazilian Hipster (Dr. Rubberfunk Mix, 2004, from the EP The Brazilian Hipster)

4. Blowing Up the Spot, Featuring Akil Dasan (2006, from the Compilation LP New Gold Standard)

5. Robbing the Room (2003, from the EP Dodge City Rockers)

6. The Party Pushers, Smalltown Romeo Remix (2009, from the LP Radio Free DC Remixed)