PillowTalk at Villa 221 September 22

Electronic dance music nerds love to label their uhntz-uhntz ad nauseam: tech-house, deep house, electro-house, disco-house, micro-house, and on and on. But San Francisco production threesome PillowTalk is fighting that tendency with a musical philosophy dubbed “D.A.G. (Destroy All Genres),” which translates to wildly eclectic DJ sets and original tracks that blend a broad spectrum of styles, from doo-wop to electro-boogie. “We really enjoy creative freedom,” PillowTalk told New Times before a few WMC performances in March. “To us, ‘genres’ feel like rules we somehow universally have to follow — or else. Clearly, we are influenced by defined genres of music. But we want to take that influence in directions that are undefined and open for interpretation.” The trio is not only destroying genres but also defying the way electronic dance music is played, trading turntables for more conventional instruments and hands-on club performances. So while this crew has enjoyed lots of hype thanks to output on hotly tipped labels such as Wolf + Lamb and Visionquest, it is the live show that has really cemented PillowTalk’s reputation as one of the most exciting acts on the international scene.