Marin8Traks...

This turntable duo, consisting of DJ’s Chad the Marinator and N8trak, has been gaining popularity in the Portland club scene, making regular appearances at various clubs, parties and their resident night, Bop Gun (held every last Friday @ Plan B a.ka. ACME). They have a very eclectic sound with a wide range in bpm that tends to unite under the banner of “funk”. While mid-tempo broken beats are most prominent in their sets, it is not at all surprising to hear them playing hip hop, downbeat, house, mash-ups or new school breaks. Neither believes in being limited by a specific genre and many Portland dancers would agree that they prove this theory correct.

Chad the Marinator, a.k.a Chad Smith comes to Portland as a Bay Area transplant with a long history in the electronic music scene. In San Francisco he played mostly funky house music and was heavily involved in playing and promoting events with NBC or North Bay Collective. Always a crate digger, it only made sense to expand his abilities to include most other genres, believing that all music can be arranged and mixed. Through this exploration in bpms, Chad began collaborating with long-time friend and fellow dj, N8Trak.

N8Trak a.k.a, Nate Luna is also a transplant to Portland coming from Arizona. In between growing up in the hot Arizona sun and moving to the Rose City, Nate picked up the art of djing while living in Seattle attending art school. Though he started out focusing on new school and funky breaks, Nate eventually broadened his interests to include music from just about everywhere. Growing up he played guitar and bass in several bands and utilizes his knowledge of music to enhance his djing.

The pair had enjoyed some success as solo djs, both starting over 10 years earlier, but the collaboration of like-minded interests and diverse pasts has been their ultimate weapon in forming such a dynamic sound. They call it “funk-tempo” or “new funk”, a sound made popular in DC by artists such as Fort Knox Five, All Good Funk Alliance and many others. It’s newly produced mid-range breaks mixed with old school original breaks, hip hop and just about anything else that will work at any given time. Basically it’s the music you might see Ron O’Neil or Isaac Hayes bumpin’ out of their caddy in some 70’s crime drama, but with a new school twist. Always expanding their collections to keep things fresh for their dance floors, this pair will make sure you have as much fun dancing or listening as they have playing it for you. Both subscribe heavily to the theory that a dj is there to make you dance, it’s their job.

“People want something they can dance to, while getting a little taste of nostalgia. The new stuff keeps them guessing while the old stuff reminds them of good times in their past, but basically…everybody loves funk.” -Marin8Traks

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Please contact Keith LeWinter // keith@abstractearthproject.com // 928.273.0600