In their short but successful career Belgian-Japanese duo Aili's music has often pulled from the 80s, whether that be angular post-punk bass lines, body shocking electro-rhythms, acid house bleeps or the neon soaked synth-pop of the era. Now, as the title of their new single 'Make Me Rich' suggests Aili Maruyama & Orson Wouters are going one further and also embracing the true spirit of the era, demanding the kind of hyperinflated luxury lifestyle rarely enjoyed by bands since Duran Duran had to downsize their yachts.
"'Make Me Rich' originated during one of our writing sessions where we also took a close look at our finances," explains singer Aili. "We realised that there were a lot of red numbers in our budget, which I guess makes Excel the biggest source of inspiration for this song. We dreamed of how nice it would be if we could live off our music and set about answering the eternal question of "What would you do if you were rich?" So, for those keeping track here's our wishlist: ride a horse, ride a dolphin and ride a tiger. Anyone who wants to help us realise this, you can find our bank account number on the song's bridge."
Originally conceived as an emotional song replete with Japanese samples from the 1920s, aggressive cutting and pasting in the studio saw 'Make Me Rich' evolve into its final form, a chrome plated electro-punk number that pulses with intent and explodes into a defiant call to arms and which, if nothing else, might make you forget your own money worries for a few joyous minutes.