Our first impression of Skrillex was when he was known as Sonny Moore. Dating back to 2004, Sonny Moore was the vocalist of the post-hardcore band From First To Last. With the group, he released two albums and toured on the Vans Warped Tour. Sonny Moore left the group shortly after for a solo career, and a few years later became the dubstep artist Skrillex. In 2010, Dubstep was about to take over the EDM world and ultimately change festival culture. Here are 3 Skrillex songs that forever changed electronic music as we know it.
“SCARY MONSTERS AND NICE SPRITES”
Skrillex’s 2010 EP Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites pushed dubstep from the undergrounds of South London towards the mainstream. The title track sounded like something out of a Transformers movie. It was unlike anything many had heard before. The use of tension and release, with abrasive noises and massive beat drops, was revolutionary. It catered well to his From First To Last fans with its dark edge and heavy drops.
His brilliant use of a sound clip from a viral video of a girl breaking a cup-stacking record, placed before the heavy beat drops, was well received in 2010. Her voice screaming “Yes, oh my God!” is forever echoing in our heads. Skrillex used a similar technique in his debut album’s opening track, “First Of The Year (Equinox)”. There’s a sound bite from a 2005 eBaum’s World video that is sampled. You can hear a girl screaming, “Call 911 now!” planted just before the drop.
“Bangarang (feat. Sirah)”
This track served as proof that dubstep could successfully hold its own in the mainstream. It was a global hit in 2011, featuring guest vocals from rapper/singer Sirah. Following the release of the Bangarang EP, Skrillex played over 300 shows and headlined festivals such as Electric Forest, Lollapalooza, Ultra Music Festival, and HARD Summer. Dubstep was now at the center of the EDM world.
“where are Ü now (FEAT. JUSTIN BIeBER)”
In 2013, Skrillex and Diplo teamed up to form the duo Jack Ü. Together, they released one album in 2015, but man, was it something special. Their track featuring Justin Bieber was a massive hit, hitting No. 1 on the US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and No. 8 on the Billboard 200. Subsequently, their album, Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü, won a Grammy for Best Dance Recording. Again, Skrillex changed the direction of EDM. Switching out heavy beat drops for a more polished pop sound, which included dolphin-like effects, was an effective move.
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