POP*EYE
***
***
— Paris —
The Aikiu
Ghost Youth (2013)
*I proud to highly,
highly Recommended!*
This Parisian pop-rock quartet got plenty of attention last year for the “Pieces Of Gold” video, which cheekily made vintage porn SFW with footage of the band performing. The song itself is just as memorable, an ode to hopeless romanticism that sounds like looking at the sun. Led by namesake Alex Aikiu, the group combines heartfelt lyrics with breezy melodies to instantly likable effect. They’ll be releasing debut LP Ghost Youth this month, and their new wave-influenced vibes are sure to remain a favorite all summer long--just wait til you hear “Win,” featuring JD Samson of Le Tigre fame. The Pieces Of Gold EP is out now.
“You Should Be Listening To Deep Into The Pop Groove And Very, Very Much en Vogue!”
"My new personal
favorite pop band!"
“The New French Touch!”
the portastylistic
highly Recommended!*
This Parisian pop-rock quartet got plenty of attention last year for the “Pieces Of Gold” video, which cheekily made vintage porn SFW with footage of the band performing. The song itself is just as memorable, an ode to hopeless romanticism that sounds like looking at the sun. Led by namesake Alex Aikiu, the group combines heartfelt lyrics with breezy melodies to instantly likable effect. They’ll be releasing debut LP Ghost Youth this month, and their new wave-influenced vibes are sure to remain a favorite all summer long--just wait til you hear “Win,” featuring JD Samson of Le Tigre fame. The Pieces Of Gold EP is out now.
Download on iTunes
Buy on Fnac Musique
Stream the full album on Spotify and Deezer
Buy on Fnac Musique
Stream the full album on Spotify and Deezer
Tracklisting
1. Pieces of Gold
2. Let Me Freak Out (Nosferatu) feat. Isabelle Adjani
3. Win feat. JD Samson
4. Slow Motion
5. Barbarella
6. Fools
7. 20th Century Ghosts
8. The Fear
9. Somehow
10. A Distant Science
2. Let Me Freak Out (Nosferatu) feat. Isabelle Adjani
3. Win feat. JD Samson
4. Slow Motion
5. Barbarella
6. Fools
7. 20th Century Ghosts
8. The Fear
9. Somehow
10. A Distant Science
Porta's Rating
*Porta's
favourite!*
“You Should Be Listening To Deep Into The Pop Groove And Very, Very Much en Vogue!”
The Aikiu
Imagine someone at the pub calling you ‘Madonna with a dick … but with the voice of Simon le Bon’. Would it rub you the wrong way? Would you give the messanger of said comment a cold hard stare with the evil eye? You betcha. Not Alex Aikiu though.
That’s because it was told by none other than Nile Rodgers; legendary disco innovator with his band Chic and celebrated studio wiz for, amongst many others: Carly Simon, Diana Ross, Sister Sledge, David Bowie, Duran Duran and… Madonna.
Alex: “It was during my stay in NYC that I met Nile Rodgers. I played him some of my music and he took an instant liking to it. He also told me I reminded him of Simon Le Bon, the singer from Duran Duran. Which means a lot coming from him. After all, he’s the man behind the sound of The Reflex and Wild Boys”, explains Alex. “He sort of became my musical godfather after that.”
Another godfather for Alex is the legendary photographer/illustrator Jean-Paul Goude with whom he has been working since 3 years and who, of course, successfully deconstructed Grace Jones’ image on Slave To The Rhythm.
“The Aikiu” was born in Paris when Alex teamed up with his friends Julien Vichnievsky and Cedric Pilooski!
Pilooski should be no stranger to music heads; he was of course responsible for the immensely popular edit of Frankie Valli’s Beggin’ that took the world by surprise. The renowned DJ also cooked up remixes for the likes of LCD Soundsystem and Findlay Brown, and is part of the d*i*r*t*y-crew responsible for great compilations such as Dirty Space Disco and Dirty French Psychedelics.
The Aikiu sound has a shiny breed of new wave infested pop, influenced by Roxy Music, David Bowie… and a hint of Chic. The sky seems to become limitless for this newborn pop phenomenon.
But first, the debut single Just Can’t Sleep. Alex: “Just Can’t Sleep is about my love for late 70s, early 80s New York. A time when the city was in a terrible mess, but at the same alive with an air of decadent glamour and freedom. It’s about the freedom of dancing. There’s also a paranoid element to it. If you want the party never to stop you’re also afraid of the night and its darkness.”
Alex laughs when we remind him of that famed Madonna quote: ‘Only when I’m dancing I feel this free’ – whether he’s the mannish version of La Ciccone or not, The Aikiu is deep into the pop groove and very, very much en vogue!
Musical Polaroid pictures, pop declarations
http://www.theaikiu.com/
http://twitter.com/Theaikiu
favorite pop band!"
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the portastylistic
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