Pop Dee-Lite : Steve Aoki : Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles

If you're heading out to the club this weekend, don't be surprised if you hear the DJ blasting the latest from indie faves LCD Soundsystem versus the latest from electro king Tiesto. It's a new trend that Steve Aoki, a DJ based in L.A., has helped pioneer. Aoki is bypassing the traditional dance club audience these days. Instead, he's turned his focus to indie music fans who are putting their stock in bands like Justice, Datarock and Klaxons - bands that are leading the latest electro and Nu Rave dance revolution. Even little ol' Minneapolis boasts its own take on the trend with Too Much Love at First Avenue, a weekly dance/rock party where you're likely to hear classic disco one minute and Hot Chip the next.

If you want to know what to expect and practice your moves before you go to the club, check out Aoki's new mix album, Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles. It's out Jan. 22 on Thrive/Dim Mak. The CD is packed with intriguing guest vocals and block rocking remixes. Standout tracks include the Weird Science remix of Bloc Party's Helicopter, featuring Peaches, as well as Datarock's Fa-Fa-Fa featuring Steve Bays from Hot Hot Heat. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear Goose's Bring It On featuring Todd Fink of The Faint. And Green Velvet's Shake & Pop featuring Kid Sister is as catchy as they come. The only disappointment was Erol Alkan's Glam Racket Remix of Franz Ferdinand's Do You Want To, which is strictly instrumental. And don't be turned off by the opening track from hardcore Swedish punk band Refused. It makes for a jarring way to start the CD, but stick with it and you're in for an ass shaking, rather than head banging, listening experience.

Bloc Party - Helicopter (Weird Science Remix featuring Peaches)
Goose - Bring It On (featuring Todd Fink)

You can stream the entire album at Steve Aoki's imeem (you must be logged-in)

Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles tracklisting:

1. Refused - New Noise
2. Justice - Waters of Nazereth (Erol Alkan's Durrr Durrr Durrrrrr Re-Edit with Pase Rock's Guest Drop)
3. Does It Offend You, Yeah? - We Are Rockstars with Spank Rock and Amanda Blank's Guest Drop
4. Services - Element of Danger (MSTRKRFT Remix with Har Mar Superstar's Guest Drop)
5. Goose - Bring It On with Todd Fink's Guest Drop
6. Larry Tee and Princess Superstar - Licky (Work It Out) [Herve Goes Low Remix with Santogold's Guest Drop]
7. Green Velvet - Shake & Pop with Kid Sister's Guest Drop
8. Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Soulwax Remix)
9. The Mystery Jets - The Boy Who Ran Away (Riton Re-Dub)
10. Peaches - Boys Wanna Be Her (Weird Science Remix)
11. Datarock - Fa-Fa-Fa with Steve Bays' Guest Drop
12. Yelle - Je Veux Te Voir
13. Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To (Erol Alkan's Glam Racket Remix)
14. KIM - Wet 'n Wild with Mickey Avalon's Guest Drop
15. Bloc Party - Helicopter (Weird Science Remix featuring Peaches)
16. Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (MSTRKRFT Remix)
17. Scanners - Low Life (L.A. Riots' Remix with Uffie's Guest Drop)

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