On a random Wednesday in 2021, D’Angelo dropped a whole 1 hour and 30 minute curated DJ set with Sonos Radio HD, and if you blinked, you may have missed it! There have been many stories through the grapevine that D’ often does private DJ sets for his friends and has an extensive vinyl collection much like his friends Q-Tip and Questlove. We got to experience it first hand in this rare, once-in-a-chance event and it was such a musical masterclass!
Re-listening to it 4 years later, I’m still picking up on gems I didn’t notice before. I can honestly say that this episode really expanded my outlook on music. I discovered so many new favorites and even realized that D’Angelo and I share some of the exact same deep cuts. The name Feverish Fantazmagoria fits his show perfectly because his set was colorful, unpredictable, genre-fluid, and soulful in every way. Check out our top 10 picks below:
1. Funkadelic – Hardcore Jollies (1976)
D’Angelo opened the show with “If You Got Funk, You Got Style” by Funkadelic playing in the background while he introduced the show. This was the perfect song to open with because D’ just can’t help how funky he is! Many of the tracks he played had heavy funk DNA, and this one definitely set the tone for what was in store. This is a classic, yet also futuristic psychedelic funk album by P-Funk that I NEED in my collection ASAP!
2. Funkadelic – One Nation Under a Groove (1978)
I’ll never forget hearing “Groovallegiance” on Feverish Fantazmagoria for the first time. I had never heard a song like it before and still haven’t! The way Junie Morrison’s silky falsetto complimented Garry Shider’s gritty soulfulness, all over a trippy psychedelic groove instantly made me fall in love with the song. D’Angelo nailed it when he described it as “The Temptations on acid” (LOL). Junie and Garry’s vocalizations were very reminiscent of a doo-wop band from the 60s. The song’s bass player Rodney “Skeet” Curtis took the song to another dimension during his otherwordly solo.
3. Sly & the Family Stone – A Whole New Thing (1967)
Another song I discovered through D’Angelo’s DJ set is Sly & the Family Stone’s “I Cannot Make It” from their debut album. It completely changed how I viewed their music because I had only known their more upbeat, pop-leaning hits. This track hits like a psychedelic blues banger. It’s so raw, heavy, and decades ahead of its time that it inspired me to deep dive more into Sly’s dynamic catalog.
4. Ohio Players – Ecstasy (1973)
When D’ played “Silly Billy”, I realized that he’s just as big a Junie Morrison fan as I am! The way he focused on Junie’s work with both P-Funk and Ohio Players showed how much he respects his genius. He even pointed out the sonic shift between Ohio Players’ Westbound era and their Mercury era (basically, Junie vs. no Junie). D’ knows how special and central Junie was to funk even though he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Junie was such a genius and was definitely one of the blueprints when it came to funk music.
5. Billy Cobham & George Duke Band – Live on Tour in Europe (1976)
After putting us on to Mahavishnu Orchestra’s “You Know You Know”, D’ segwayed into the band’s drummer Billy Cobham’s live album with the legendary funkmaster George Duke. His selection “Almustafa the Beloved” shows his love for jazz fusion and progressive musicianship.
6. Prince – Dirty Mind (1980)
I’m sure nobody was surprised to see D’s musical hero Prince on this set list. He played not one, but two songs from this album, “Sister” and “Head”. Even with Prince’s new wave and punk influences, the funk dominates. D’ reminded us just how wild it is that Prince played every instrument on this album. He literally mastered every instrument! The ultimate musician’s musician.
7. Lewis Taylor – Lewis Taylor [expanded edition] (1996)
I still laugh at the fact that my favorite musical recluse introduced me to another equally mysterious genius. I had no idea who Lewis Taylor was before this set, but after deep diving, I realized he and D’Angelo have a lot in common: Lewis has also taken decades to release a follow-up album. His smooth vocals, dreamy arrangements, and deeply layered instrumentation on “I Dream the Better Dream” prove his music is worth the wait. This album is a must for anyone who loves neo-soul, psychedelic soul, or just unclassifiable magic.
8. Fishbone – Truth and Soul (1988)
This was one of the tracks I didn’t fully appreciate until I revisited the set recently, now I’m looking forward to deep diving into this band’s catalog. Fishbone’s “Subliminal Fascism” is a fiery blend of punk, metal, and funk with a heavy political message about racism, media manipulation, and cultural control. You can tell D’ really resonated with its raw urgency and truth-telling. Their message in this song is still very relevant to what’s going on today!
9. Gang Starr – Daily Operation (1992)
We all know D’Angelo is a hip-hop fanatic, so I wasn’t surprised that his setlist included early 90s rap. D’ played the classic track “Take Two and Pass” by Gang Starr. This record was produced by his close friend and frequent collaborator DJ Premier (Lady Remix and Devil’s Pie). Also, you can’t go wrong with some smooth verses by Guru!
10. Marvin Gaye – I Want You (1976)
Last but never least, “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again.” This is one of my all-time favorite Marvin Gaye songs, and hearing D’Angelo share his love for it too? Whew. He even dedicated it to Marvin’s daughter Nona and ex-wife Janis. D’ also connected the dots on his connection with Marvin through drummer James Gadson, who played on both this album and D’s song “Sugah Daddy.” This is a flawless album from top to bottom, with Leon Ware and T-Boy Ross helping Marvin cook one of the greatest soul albums ever made.
Those were our top 10 favorites from D’Angelo’s Feverish Fantazmagoria DJ set on Sonos Radio HD. There were so many more gems in the full mix, so if you haven’t listened or need a re-listen, the audio is below! This episode was a 1000/10 experience. The way he moved through genres with ease, dropping deep cuts and cult classics, felt like sitting in on a private listening session with the GOAT himself. Whether he ever blesses us with another episode or not, this one stands as proof: his ear is just as iconic as his voice.
