Review: Steve Aoki's "Wonderland"

I remember the first time I saw Steve Aoki live. I was at IDfest last summer. We had been planning to stay at the inside stage and watch Crystal Method, but ended up wandering outside only to discover the concert experience that is Aoki.

You get used to certain shows when it comes to EDM music, usually consisting of a lot of strobes, neon, and cookie cutter spotlights (and I love all of it). Then you have Steve Aoki with his inflatable rafts, crowd surfing (with and without said raft), champagne showers over the crowd, and even birthday cake being tossed at us (which I think was a special occasion, because if I remember correctly it was Aoki’s birthday at the time).

Mix his show with his music, and I was won over. I had heard of Aoki’s name before, but really only for his collaboration with Afrojack on the song “No Beef.” And then imagine my surprise when during his performance, all of the sudden Rivers Cuomo from Weezer appears on stage and starts jamming out with Aoki. What a great introduction to this artists work.

So, I have to say I’m a little shocked to find out that “Wonderland” is pretty much the first official release for Steve Aoki. Coming out under Dim Mak Records, this record contains 13 (16 if you get the iTunes bonus cuts) electro heavy tracks that feature different guest artists on almost every one.

The record starts with the single “Earthquakey People,” the same song that shocked me with the appearance of Rivers Cuomo live. Follow that with the track “Ladi Dadi” which features Wynter Gordon (who I fell in love with for the remixes of her song “Til Death”) and you’ve already got me hooked on this album.

I will admit, at times the music feels a bit mainstream, which I think comes at part to those same special guests that make some of the tracks so special. I could do without Lil Jon on the track “Emergency” and while I love a good Party Rock, it can be argued that LMFAO’s appearance on the track “Livin’ My Love” is more accountable because of their recent popularity.
I do want to give a quick shout out to the 16bit track “Steve Jobs” featuring Angger Dimas, a tribute to the late, great head of Apple.

Overall, this record excites me. If not necessarily for it’s individual tracks, but for the future of what these tracks could become. One of the bonus cuts “No Beef” has become a staple for many a DJ’s sets, and I can only imagine where most of this record will go into the EDM scene.

Purchase the record and find out for yourself on iTunes.