Don’t think for a SECOND that Papa Smith didn’t have a hand in getting little 9-year-old Willow a record deal. Ya, that was definitely happening. Like a long line before him (Chico DeBarge, I’m looking at you) Will Smith is simply helping to “carry on the family name” I’m sure, and let’s face it, it could have been worse, Jaden Smith (Willow’s brother) could have become the littlest pop star. Oh wait, that happened too.

But let’s get to Willow’s debut track, “Whip My Hair”. Something tells me Momma Jada Pinkett would slap Willow for slipping into the street accent she throws on some of her “hair” references here, but despite that, it’s actually a competent, if a surprisingly aggressive hip-hop track…for. a. nine. year. old. In olden days (the mid-’90s) a kid this young would have to release a cute, mid-tempo song about “having fun” or maybe sleepovers. But this is not then, and Willow (who I doubt had anything to do with actually creation of this track despite showing up for recordings, which actually says more about her handlers than her own state of mind) has made a nasty, aggro-stripper (“I whip it real hard”) anthem for the Fall. Sure beats that new Karate Kid movie.

Willow Smith – Whip My Hair (128 kbps)

Don’t think for a SECOND that Papa Smith didn’t have a hand in getting little 9 year old Willow a record deal. Ya, that was definitely happening. Like a long line before him (Chico DeBarge, I’m looking at you) Will Smith is simply halping to “carry on the family name” I’m sure, and let’s face it, it could have been worse, Jaden Smith (Willow’s brother) could have become the littlest pop star. Oh wait, that happened too.

But let’s get to Willow’s debut track “Whip My Hair”. Something tells me Momma Jada Pinkett would slap Willow for slipping into the street accent she throws on some her “hair” references here, but despite that, it’s actually a competent, if a surprisingly aggressive hip-hop track…for. a. nine. year. old. In olden days (the mid-90’s) a kid this young would have to release a cute, mid-tempo song about “having fun” or maybe sleepovers. But this is not then, and Willow (who I doubt had anything to do with actually creating this track despite showing up for recordings, which actually says more about her handlers than her own state of mind) has made a nasty, aggro-stripper (“I whip it real hard”) anthem for the fall. Sure beats that new Karate Kid movie.

Willow Smith – Whip My Hair (192 kbps)

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)

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

Precisely as that title states, last night's early show (weird, haven't seen an 8:00pm start time in a loooong while) at Mercury Lounge featured the inimitable MNDR headlining the space in NYC's Lower East Side. And while she's pretty much our good pal at this point, making us the most biased beast, um ever, we can take a step back and note that every instance in which we've caught her live show (it's been a lot) she's far exceeded previous performances. It's not that she was ever NOT good...it's that she just keeps getting better and better at every turn. Other artists: beware.

Beginning the set with a personal favorite in Caligula, MNDR was a nonstop flurry of mathematically magical music and motion. After a few more "known cuts" (she's only got a few out there!), the moment we'd had hoped would arrive came to be...and oh, it was pretty fantastic. New music, in the form of songs Diamonds and Casual Attraction, impressed beyond imagination. While the former takes cues from I Go Away in the more "oh man I feel feelings" sense, the latter is another sing-along stunner that incites jumping, dancing, high-fiving and smiling until your face breaks. Yep, it's that good.

We chatted with MNDR after the gig, and ol' girl's got some goodies coming up in the next few months. Sure, we'd share 'em now, but we need every excuse to write more writings about this incredible talent down the line.

Until then, check out the full gallery of images here, and peep the videos from last night's show below. And duh, of course we captured them new jawns, along with Caligula and the "Patty Hearst tribute song" which we still have no idea what the real title of said song is, but it is damn fine. Beast pleased!

mp3: Major Lazer - Pon De Floor (Ninjasonik Remix featuring MNDR and Tasleema)

YOU GUYS: I've only been waiting for this song for 3 solid months. Patiently very impatiently I grew, but today, we wait no longer for the Savage Skulls and Douster track, which features the ever-impressive Robyn on vocals. The song...is Bad Gal.

The song is also...AMAZING. Tuesday win! The track comes off the upcoming Skulls & Douster EP Get Rich or High Trying. out tomorrow on Beatport.

I've concocted a hard and fast rule: this jam should be played at every bar, party, dj set and what not from now until the seasons turn colder. And if it's not, I will throw a temper tantrum, whenceforth, making me a very bad gal...or mad beast. See what I did there. Title tricks.

Play it!

Savage Skulls & Douster feat. Robyn-Bad Gal

Just...OBSESSED.

SUPER OBSESSED.

mp3: Trentemoller - ...Even Though Youre With Another Girl