Tucked away in the basement of a nondescript Columbia Heights house, some of the most exciting music in years has been recorded at Swim-Two-Birds, the home studio of spouses Hugh McElroy and Kevin Erickson. From Priests to the Cornel West Theory to Hemlines, Swim-Two-Birds has become synonymous with a certain sound among D.C.’s musical contingent. That’s mostly due to the studio’s all-analog setup—rare in today’s digitally obsessed culture—but also because of who Hugh and Kevin are: deeply passionate music nerds. Hugh—a D.C. native—has been a part of the local punk scene for years, playing in experimental post-hardcore band Black Eyes in early aughts, while Kevin works full-time advocating for artist’s rights with the Future of Music Coalition.

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