Wonderland

"Wonderland" is like a fun, wild ride through different vibes, with Steve Aoki pulling together a killer lineup of music heavyweights like Rivers Cuomo, will.i.am, Lil Jon, Travis Barker, Kid Cudi, and LMFAO. Throw in some fresh faces like Nervo, Chiddy Bang, Robert Raimon Roy, and Lovefoxxx, and you've got an album that screams Aoki's knack for curating cool stuff. But with all this talent packed into just 12 tracks, the whole thing feels more like a dope mixtape or a bunch of singles than a cohesive album.

You’ll dive into a mix of electro-pop, progressive house, and bass-heavy electro-hop. The lead track, "Earthquakey People," featuring Rivers Cuomo from Weezer, has these swirling synths and a catchy chorus that could easily blow up on Top 40 radio or in a DJ set with a few tweaks. Tracks like "Living My Love" and "Control Freak" are tailor-made for summer flings, with their male/female vocal back-and-forth. Meanwhile, "Ladi Dadi" (featuring Wynter Gordon) and "Come With Me" give off those smooth, sensual vibes that fans of Kaskade or David Guetta would totally dig.

As you get to the end of the album, things get intense. "Cudi the Kid" kicks off with sparkly keys and some wild noise, then turns into a headbanging, fist-pumping anthem. "Ohh" brings in a dirty dubstep drop that’s just begging to be remixed. These tracks could easily become the next "Promises," Nero's track that blew up in brostep sets worldwide.

In the end, "Wonderland" might’ve worked better as a bunch of EPs, but as an album, it doesn’t fully come together—it kind of feels like a puzzle with some pieces in the wrong places. The oddball track "The Kids Will Have Their Say" doesn’t really fit. But honestly, seeing Aoki drop these tracks live with a crowd of hyped-up fans would be insane.

STEVE AOKI - WONDERLAND

RATING - 7.2/10

FAVORITE TRACKS - Cudi the Kid, Earthquakey People

GENRE - EDM, Electro-Pop, House, E-Hop