When Brooklyn’s Small Black comes to D.C., it’s a family affair. Bassist Juan Pieczanski and drummer Jeff Curtin grew up here, and it’s not unusual for family members to turn up at shows in support of these native sons. With their first full-length, New Chain, out on Jagjaguwar last year and extensive touring under their belts, Pieczanski, Curtin, singer Josh Kolenik and keyboardist/songwriter Ryan Heyner are bringing their unique blend of dark pop and dreamy synth to audiences the world over.

The band headlines DC9 tonight for the latest installment of Monument Music and Art Festival‘s concert series, with all proceeds going to benefit the Grassroots Reconciliation Group, which rehabilitates former child soldiers in northern Uganda with medical treatment, trauma counseling, job placement and community building. DCist caught up with Pieczanski ahead of tonight’s show.

You played DC9 just last year; what do you remember about that performance?

I remember a bunch of family showing up! Both my family and Jeff’s live in D.C., we both grew up there.

What was the best show you’ve played in support of New Chain? What are the markers for you, of a great show?

Probably the most memorable New Chain shows were in Europe, at Primavera Festival in Spain. It was insane playing in front of 600 kids who somehow knew our songs.

How did you and your band mates meet and come to form Small Black?

We all used to play in this band Slowlands together. When that ended over the next years, we transitioned into Small Black. We have known each other for years and work on various different music projects in New York.

The band has rejected the label “chillwave” in the past — you describe your own music as “Acousmatic / Tape music.” What’s the etymology there? And why don’t you want to be seen as part of the chillwave genre? Is that name overused, or does it too narrowly define your sound?

The whole chillwave thing is funny because we don’t really see our music as part of that genre. It’s kind of a lazy genre description anyway. On the other hand, it has helped get our name out there, so we can’t complain. We just want to make pop music we like, and if people want to put that into a certain genre, there’s nothing we can do about it anyway.

You’ve toured with Weird World label-mate Ernest Greene (Washed Out), playing as Small Black and as his live band. What’s it like to collaborate on a live show with an artist who primarily records alone?

It was great! We love Ernest, he and his wife are close friends of ours. It was great playing our set, stepping out for a little then coming back with his. Just really fun to play his material live. He had never played with a band really so it was a learning experience for all of us putting that show together.

You recorded a cover of Best Coast’s “Sun Was High (So Was I)” for your Photojournalist 7″ and play it live. How do you choose songs you want to cover? Is it novelty? Admiration? A little of both?

I’d say its a little of both. In the case of Best Coast our singer Josh has known their singer [Bethany Cosentino] for a long time, so it seemed natural to do a cover. We are currently doing a Byrds cover, and we’re open to doing more in the future. It’s a nice way of expanding our live show.

Any artists you’re hoping to collaborate or tour with soon?

We hope to do stuff with Das Racist, Beach Fossils and maybe try to get an opening tour with a bigger band. M83, if you’re reading this!

Are you working on new material? Can we expect a second full-length in 2012?

We are really excited to be completing a mixtape right now that should come out soon, lots of cool stuff: live versions, remixes, new songs. Also, a proper second full-length should come out hopefully early next year. The new songs are sounding great, just more direct, minimal and dancey than some of the older stuff.

Small Black plays at DC9 tonight. Outputmessage and Cigarette open. Tickets are $13. All proceeds go to benefit the Grassroots Reconciliation Group.