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No one has rated this album. You can be the first. | Steve Aoki - Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles | Steve Aoki - Pillowface and his Airplane Chronicles
Released January 22nd, 2008
Thrive
When discussing D.J. and label founder Steve Aoki (also known as Kid Millionaire), nobody denies his looming presence in the modern entertainment scene. Like him or not, his Dim Mak makes enormous waves throughout the music and fashion communities. However, many detractors call into questions his abilities as a D.J. On Pillowface and his Airplane Chronicles, Aoki tries to disprove doubtful critics by blending together a host of popular tracks both new and old.
When it comes to recorded D.J. sets, track selection counts for just as much as actual skill. Whereas most impressive mixes include a handful of recognizable tracks to invoke a sense of familiarity amongst listeners, overplayed tracks lead to a trite final product. For example, seemingly every set in 2007 included Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.” or some recreation of it; thus, many efforts went unheard due in large to overwhelming repetition from one set to the next.
Aoki smartly avoids this pitfall while still spinning outstandingly popular tracks. Though he goes to strongholds such as Erol Alkan’s “Waters of Nazareth” re-edit and the Soulwax remix of “Gravity’s Rainbow,” Kid Millionaire employs a host of scene luminaries to drop guest vocals over instrumental periods. He therefore successfully adds an engaging spice to a familiar equation.
The first addition comes when Pase Rock spits over the aforementioned version of “Waters of Nazareth.” Though he produces an impressive enough flow, Aoki laces the vocal track over the instrumentals in an awkward manner that leaves the listener feel disconnected. However, he quickly redeems himself when partners in crime Spank Rock and Amanda Blank add their two cents on popular Does It Offend You, Yeah? tune “We are Rockstars.” Blank kills it with a seductive pace and tone, and Spank Rock provides just enough emotion to keep fans interested. He thus provides his first impressive addition to an already popular track on Pillowface and his Airplane Chronicles.
However, the two best guest drops on the album – Kid Sister’s “Shake and Pop” additions and Uffie’s lines on “Low Life” – fall flat when Aoki fails tries to create a hair too much separation between the original song and his new version. Each artist performs well, but Steve creates a disconnect that leads the songs to sound like freestyles recorded by a camera phone and uploaded onto YouTube. Though each tune holds its own anyways, listeners immediately think of the possibilities of a mix with slightly different stresses.
Luckily, the impeccable track selection makes up for whatever qualms fans take with flaws in the technical aspects of Aoki’s performance. Though he includes unaltered versions of fabulous yet stilled played out offerings such as the MSTRKRFT remix of Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.” Datarock’s “Fa-Fa-Fa,” the inclusion of relatively obscure jams such as “Je Veux Te Voix” by Yelle and Larry Tee and Princess Superstar’s “Licky” keep the listener dancing long enough to never get bored.
In short, Aoki fails to prove himself a technically impressive D.J. However, his incredible networking and impeccable taste allow him to place the most impressive artists over some of the hottest tracks in recent times. In Pillowface and his Airplane Chronicles Aoki produces an album D.J.s will discredit but ordinary music fans will lap up and dance to. Consider this an impressive “Best Of” list of sorts featuring celebrity appearances; what’s there not to like about that? |
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Displaying posts 1 - 12 of 12. |
08:37 AM on 01/22/08 | He's not that good of DJ technically, like you said but his shows are fun and he has a good track selection. (In an interview he said track selection is the most important thing about DJing but most probably disagree and so do I). I love his remixes though so this should be good album.
Good review. | | |
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10:02 AM on 01/22/08 | I don't see how Dim Mak has made any waves in the music community. | | |
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11:44 AM on 01/22/08 | I don't see how Dim Mak has made any waves in the music community. |
Bloc Party says hi. | | |
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12:24 PM on 01/22/08 |
Yeah but Bloc Party didn't get big off of that record, it was their Vice work that did so. I mean between that and the one Pretty Girls Make Graves ep they did, they have 2 bands that sell in their back catalogue. I hardly think that's enough to "make waves". | | |
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05:28 PM on 01/22/08 | Yeah but Bloc Party didn't get big off of that record, it was their Vice work that did so. I mean between that and the one Pretty Girls Make Graves ep they did, they have 2 bands that sell in their back catalogue. I hardly think that's enough to "make waves". |
i would say in certain circles, dim mak is a big deal. | | |
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05:51 PM on 01/22/08 | I was on his Myspace page the other day, and it was spitting out some Refused. I was thinking that maybe New Noise was on this album, but maybe not. Though, as I think of it, probably be for the better. The kids on here would be up in arms, "Goddamn Refused on a record that isn't Refused, what the fuck is that," is the response I would expect. | | |
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10:33 PM on 01/22/08 | I was on his Myspace page the other day, and it was spitting out some Refused. I was thinking that maybe New Noise was on this album, but maybe not. Though, as I think of it, probably be for the better. The kids on here would be up in arms, "Goddamn Refused on a record that isn't Refused, what the fuck is that," is the response I would expect. |
"New Noise" is the first track on the album. Just sayin'. Good call. | | |
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11:30 PM on 01/22/08 | Steve Aoki is such a great guy. I love Pillowface too. Good review as well. | | |
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12:07 AM on 01/23/08 | I got to see him 3 or 4 times when I was in LA for my birthday last summer and each time he played all different songs and each time he killed it. A lot better than all of the other DJ's that were playing those nights.
He however cannot drive and almost hit me and my girlfriend I think twice at different clubs when we were leaving. | | |
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05:37 PM on 04/03/08 | I don't know why i didn't see this review. The album is a mix of everything; but in the end.. it's a letdown.
Nice review Greg. | | |
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