It's the Supersound

Earlier this summer, The Aikiu's debut single, Just Can't Sleep, took up a good portion of my most dedicated listening time, and hell, it's still as great as the first time I'd heard it. But truth be told, not a lot is known about this artist, and with but the one cut to go off of, it's high time to find out what's in store for this lavishly luscious lad's music and what's on deck for him next.

Shall we delve into the brain-pickings of one, Alex Aikiu? Yes, yes we shall.

SB: Describe The Aikiu. I know it's your last name, but if you had to classify "aikiu" as a noun, or a genre of music, what would the definition of it be?
AA: The Aikiu is a phantasmagoria and imaginary entity. It represents also the people working on my project. By adding "the" to Aikiu, I wanted to be quirky, almost kitsch (Like "The Great Gatsby")


SB: Talk about your earliest influences in the musical world. Did you grow up playing instruments, listening to mom and dad's old records, or what sparked the notion that "hey I think I need to be making music."
AA: I've discovered music at the Conservatoire, where I've learned the singing and the piano. At that time studying Chopin, Mozart, Schubert....my first influences. Later, I've discovered pop music with my elder sister. We were sharing the same room, the walls were covered with posters of Madonna, The Cure, AHA, Kim Wilde... Every night she made me learn and sing a new song from one of her idol, otherwise she wouldn't let me sleep. It's at that moment, that I've started to imagine, melodies and music. Prince, Michael Jackson have inspired me a lot.

 
SB: With all but a debut single and handful of remixes for I Can't Sleep, a good deal of buzz has started to flow throughout blogs and online publications. What's your response to the good dose of praise that you've been given for the material already out there, and how do you follow that up?
AA: I'm very happy but also surprised, because I didn't have much expectation. With my label we just wanted to release a song [in a] fairly low profile manner, unpretentious and without pressure. I'm not taking care of critics, at least for the moment I'm concentrating on finishing the album and the release of the next single, The Red Kiss.


SB: It's been said that there's a certain sense of hedonism in your music. Agree or disagree...and why?
AA: Yes, I wanted to transcribe through Just Can't Sleep a cultural and musical period where people were in search of fun and joy (70s, early 80's). I have an obsession for this period, whether musically or moviewise (Scorsese, De Palma...)


SB: What happens next for The Aikiu? More writing, recording, performing, etc...
AA: We are currently finishing the album, which will be more pop. There will be a tour starting in November with dates in New York, London, Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon... and the release of my next single, due in mid-November on the Kitsuné label.


SB: Alright, quick questions. Pick one of the options...and go!


SB: David Bowie or Giorgio Moroder
AA: David Bowie

SB: Basquiat or Warhol
AA: Both

SB: Steak or Shrimp
AA: Shrimp

SB: NYC or Paris
AA: Both

SB: Computer or TV
AA: Computer

SB: 8-Bit or Vocoder
AA: 8-Bit

SB: ABBA or Adriano Celentano
AA: ABBA

SB: Lady Gaga or Coco Chanel
AA: Coco Chanel

SB: Spring or Fall
AA: Summer

SB: High Fives or Thumbs Up
AA: Thumbs Up

SB: Radio or Record Player
AA: Record Player
 

mp3: The Aikiu - Just Cant Sleep (SVNGR Remix)

**EXCLUSIVE**

Working on another hot tip this morning, my buddy Dominik Von Werdt, or as he likes to shorten that ish down to DVW (yes, we approve of lessened keystrokes), bursts back in to Beastonia with an edit of The Killers' frontman, Brandon Flowers' single, Crossfire. Now, if you know me, then you're well aware of my initial misgivings and meh-ttitude when it comes to the bloke's body of new work. Thankfully, we got our pal D to the V-Dubs working his magic and making us smile.

Let's erase all memories of the original tune from Senor Flowers...

...and simply soak up the awesomesauce that DVW has provided with us this morning.

Full of win.

mp3: Brandon Flowers - Crossfire (DVWs Bullethole Remix)

**EXCLUSIVE**

Since first writing about Florrie in March of this year, shne's been on quite the impressive dominance of my words, my listenings and playlists, and equally, she's hot on the radar of bloggers across many a genre. Thanks to backing by Xenomania, Fred Falke's sweeping and swooping skills, along with her own incredible talent to boot, the young artist rightfully earns all the respect that's been tossed her way. Oh, and did we mention, every song that's out there right now by the tow-headed talent has been personally sent out by herself...for free. It just doesn't get better than that.

Barely a month has passed since her latest dosing of new tunes, and we're already getting the pro quo Falke fixes of the songs. Wanna Be Starting Something and Give Me Your Love (the latter being higher on my listening quantity) are fine examples of what you can expect when giving your attention to Florrie tunes: pop tinged tunes that aren't your standard run-of-the-mill sugary sweet ones. Nope, these are quality cuts.

Ok, all that said, Florrie isn't quite ready to throw this new one out to you free the cost of naught just yet, but we are, so here we roll in with the exclusive. Pretty pumped to start our Friday off with this gem. Falke mixes up Give Me Your Love, and he takes an already special track, into an even shinier, happier existence.

Ready for what's gonna happen now? Play and repeat, repeat, repeat...aces.

mp3: Florrie - Give Me Your Love (Fred Falke Club Edit)

I should have probably just typed this all in lowercase, eh? Bollocks...let's capitalize (ha!) on the fact that Modular is tossing together a pretty sweet showcase of lower lettered musicians this Saturday night, and with every good reason, you should be in attendance.

All the info you need to know is on that flyer above. Doors are at 11pm, so if you're headed to Electric Zoo this weekend, like I, then join me on the long ride down into Williamsburg for a night of super stellar Swedish music from ceo and jj.

S'gonna be a great one!

Beast's busy beyond belief, but not too slammed to toss you a ridiculously rad treat right now.

My main man, Tommie Sunshine, reworked Nicki Minaj's Check It Out, and while I can't afford the time to write a million awesome words about this (because I could), know that simply having the few seconds to post this up for your pleasure, is the biggest compliment we could do the dude at the time.

Massive.

mp3: Nicki Minaj (ft Will.I.Am) - Check It Out [Tommie Sunshine 5AM Edit]

It's Ms. Dynamite's world, and we're just living in it. Between Wile Out with DJ Zinc, What You Talking About with Redlight, and now this new jawn collabo with Toddla T, you can easily get swept up in an explosive (buhleee dat!) set of tunes destined for repeat and repeat and repeat.

Late summa slammer with Want U Now. I want this in my ears at all times.

mp3: Toddla T (featuring Ms. Dynamite) - Want U Now