DJ, producer and electronic dance-music trailblazer Steve Aoki isn’t your traditional musician. Consistently blurring the lines between conventional genres, he’s worked with some of the most influential people in the industry. With his debut studio album, “Wonderland,” he carries on that custom, giving his diverse musical palette a place to call home.
The entire album pulsates with the kind of energy that could only come from someone who’s passionate about music, period. Someone who doesn’t choose to compartmentalize styles and tastes, but uses a gut instinct to create.
Collaborations on “Wonderland” are the essence of its charm, running the gamut from indie songstress Lovefoxxx to rap superstar Lil Jon. And Aoki’s partnerships with Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo on “Earthquakey People” and “Earthquakey People (The Sequel)” nicely bookend the record, infectiously blending pop, rock and dance.
Polina Goudieva makes an appearance on “Come With Me (Deadmeat),” an irreverent, youthful burst of adrenaline in an already rousing lineup. That adrenaline is the backbone of “Wonderland,” running right through the sweetly deceptive vocals by Wynter Gordon on “Ladi Dadi” to the jagged rapping on “Emergency” featuring Lil Jon and Chiddy Bang.
“Steve Jobs,” featuring Angger Dimas, is a fitting tribute to the technology legend, where vocals are absent and would be unnecessary. It’s a provoking ensemble reminiscent of a vintage video-game soundtrack synthesized with caustic electronic notes.
The equally electronic-laced beats of “Heartbreaker,” which puts Lovefoxxx in the vocal spotlight, is the parallel to “The Kids Will Have Their Say,” a dance song turned on its head courtesy Sick Boy with former members of The Exploited and Die Kreuzen.
While each song on “Wonderland” boasts its own individuality, all of the tracks share the same intoxicating blend of polish and edginess. Aoki is a seasoned mix master, and on “Wonderland” he shows he clearly knows not only how to bring the potency, but how to wrap it up in a pretty little package.
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