2011 could arguably be coined “the year of Skrillex.” In this past year, we’ve seen Sonny’s stage name sprout up everywhere… and he’s only getting bigger. This summer, we saw Skrillex’s ‘More Monsters and Sprites‘ EP provoke fans of all ages, and now this winter we have a whole new batch of songs to rage to.
It’s alarming just how fast Skrilly has recently gained popularity, considering he’s been in the music business since 2004 (Sonny was the frontman for From First To Last before his solo electronic project). With fame comes ridicule, and Sonny has earned quite a following of haters despite the extreme amount of talent involved in his production. Most of these haters feel that Skrillex has exploited dubstep into something completely different than its original roots and attracted a bandwagon audience. The term “brostep” has been increasingly used by angry dub heads to explain this new breed of heavy bass music, but the truth is that we all should thank Skrillex for bringing something new to the table, and for being a major factor in the growing U.S. EDM scene. “I think in 2012, dubstep will continue to blend with other kinds of popular (and unpopular) music to create many more internet arguments about what exactly dubstep is, or what it is “supposed” to be,” says Kill The Noise, the longtime producer whose most recent release is on Skrillex’s OWSLA label. “Meanwhile, the rest of us will have a blast listening to some great new music and artists.”
Though his fame has brought a slew of haters, it’s brought a much larger following of love… creating a fan base that has made him one of the year’s most recognizable new names. Skrillex has not only seen extreme success in his own releases, but also through his label, OWSLA, which was founded earlier this year.
If you didn’t already know, Skrillex has been nominated for FIVE Grammy Awards in 2011, including Best New Artist! That is a huge honor, and great news for EDM. On top of that, Skrillex has also been nominated for BBC’s “Sound of 2012″ poll. I saw Skrillex this past summer at Lollapalooza, and am excited to be in attendance at his set for Ultra in Miami this March. There is no doubt that the future is going to be even more bright for Skrilly, and I’m excited to see what the new year will bring in his productions and label.
Check out the full new ‘Bangarang‘ EP below, along with some must-have extras!
Skrillex – ‘Bangarang’ EP
[Big Beat Records/OWSLA]
1. “Right In” (Original Mix)
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2. “Bangarang” feat. Sirah (Original Mix)
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3. “Breakn’ A Sweat” feat. The Doors (Original Mix)
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4. “The Devil’s Den” feat. Wolfgang Gartner (Original Mix)
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5. “Right On Time” feat. 12th Planet & Kill The Noise (Original Mix)
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6. “Kyoto” feat. Sirah (Original Mix)
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7. “Summit” feat. Ellie Goulding (Original Mix)
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Purchase your official copy of Skrillex’s ‘Bangarang‘ EP in 320 kbps quality MP3 in the Beatport link below, or in 256 kbps quality MP3 on iTunes HERE!
Before the ‘Bangarang’ EP dropped, Skrillex’s massive remix of Avicii’s prog-house anthem “Levels,” (mentioned in a previous post this month) was also released on Tim’s LE7ELS imprint. This is personally my favorite “Levels” remix, and apparently caught everyone else’s attention as well, considering it soared up the #1 spot on Beatport’s Dubstep Top 100 chart immediately. This one is sure to please any crowd, listen up below and get your official copy from Beatport.
“Levels” (Skrillex Remix)
Avicii
Dubstep
4:35 | 140 bpm | LE7ELS
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BONUS:
Here’s a few tracks for free download that perfectly accompany the new ‘Bangarang’ EP. First up are two awesome remixes of the collab track with Ellie Goulding “Summit,” which was widely known before its official release as “Breathe.” The latter two are unfinished Skrillex tracks that I would have liked to have seen appear on the EP, but I’m not complaining by any means. Note that these are not the final studio versions, but are worth checking out, no doubt. Enjoy!
Skrillex – “Summit” (Michael White Dubstep Remix)
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Skrillex – “Summit” (PRA2 Remix)
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Robyn – “Dancing On My Own” (Skrillex Extended Mix) **PREVIEW**
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Skrillex – “San Diego VIP” (Original Mix) **PREVIEW**
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On the day before Christmas Eve, the official music video for Skrillex’s previous bass-filled banger “Ruffneck (Full Flex)” was released. And in a timely fashion, considering the theme of the work… a drugged up Santa Claus on a rampage! The video was directed by Tony T, and is just as strangely awesome as you would expect a video from Skrilly to be. Check it out:
Like what you hear?
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