The second EP by Sonny John Moore under the moniker Skrillex is a truly special piece of music; and one of the best releases of 2010 in my humble opinion. For the uninitiated, Moore (Skrillex) is quickly becoming the mainstream figurehead (to the dismay of many in the movement) of the burgeoning dub step movement of electronic music. For those not in the know; dub step is a sort of mishmash of electronic musical styles fused with a heavy dose of hip hop,often with a good measure of "glitch"; music that utilizes stuttering beats to more often than not torture the listener in the best possible way. Moore's version of dub step strays somewhat from the pack; and is actually quite a mutant strain of the genre and he is seen as a producing a much more aggressive and almost "metal" version of dub step sometimes called by people with too much time on their hands, "brostep".I say, who cares about labels, this music really does defy strict classification.
Skrillex is sure to serve an introduction to the genre for many; and this EP will surely be lauded in the years to come as one of the works that really brought dub step into the mainstream in America. Let's take a look at why. The scant six tracks(nine including remixes) on this "album" really serve as a kind of appetizer to the world of dub step. Moore seamlessly fuses hip hop, house, glitch, as well as elements of rock music (he fronted an Emo band!) into a hodgepodge of music that reflects the hyper accelerated nature of current music consumption. Opener "Rock N Roll (Will Take You To The Top" sounds like a meeting of Aphex Twin (an obvious influence) and Daft Punk with with a highly danceable beat and slick "chopped and screwed" vocals. The song is infectious, and a great dance song. Next up is a tour de force of a song; the titular "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" , it clearly shows that Skrillex has likely spent more than his fair share of time with a controller in his hand. The song incorporates aspects of the "chiptune" movement; a form of "electro" by people with an affinity for the sound processors from classic video games consoles and computers such as the Commodore 64 and NES. The song incorporates the "loud-soft" alternations of figures such as Cobain and Black Francis in a 21st century style. The song is at times one of the hardest sounding songs you have ever heard, and then it will hit you with synth lines that are very melodic and would not be out of place in a "Megaman" game.
Next is the creepy "Kill Everybody" that would be suited for a movie soundtrack The song contains a cryptic childish vocal sample amid video games flourishes and keys that sound like the audio equivalent of a saw cutting through bone. The song is somewhat repetitive; but enjoyable nonetheless. "All I Ask Of You" is the most conventional song on the album; it shows Moore's Emo history coming through and contains a female vocal by artist "Penny". The song is sweet, but often lacks the real cutting-edge beats and producing seen elsewhere on the album. Not bad, but somewhat ventures into poppy "Eurodance" territory. The next song, "Scatta" takes a trip to the home of dub step by utilizing the UK-based hip hop group "Foreign Beggars". The song is reminiscent of the "grime" movement of the early 2000s with a good measure of IDM; sounding like a meeting of electronic madman "Squarepusher" and "grime" poster boy Dizzie Rascal.
The real highlight of the "album" is the emotional and sleepy "With Your Friends (Long Drive)". The song is remarkable; the piano provides a sweetness over the mangled, but almost "Romanthony (Daft Punk's One More Time!)like vocals.The song actually sounds like a late drive coming back from somewhere on a highway; and is the perfect song to pump into your earphones on those later night coming home on the train/subway. The EP closes with some remixes of other songs (he loves his remixes, that is for sure). The remixes are decent enough but by no means a focal point for the listener, "Zedd", "Noisia" and "Bare Noize" provide more continental European remixes of the title track and "Kill Everybody" that would not sound out of place in the famous London club "Ministry of Sound". Good, but really just mostly filler.
"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (yes, a Bowie reference) shows a rising young talent and more importantly the future of a genre that many (Eminem!) have proclaimed dead for over a decade. Skirllex may have his share of detractors; but I firmly believe that he holds the torch for interesting and intelligent dance music in 2011. Dub step is very much a reflection of years of music accumulation in the digital music era; it shows that one can incorporate a variety of genres together and create something new and unique. Let the revolution begin, Comrade Moore!
Rating-8.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment