For anyone who has listened to the emo/ post-hardcore group From First to Last and has become familiar with the angst-ridden vocals of Sonny Moore, his latest musical project will come as a surprise. Moore has abandoned the ear-splitting screamo that first made him famous and transitioned into the world of dubstep, the newest trend in electronica.
As Skrillex, Moore performs and produces original electronic compositions with the signature bass-infused breakdowns of the dubstep style. His most recent effort, "Bangarang," was released on Tuesday. Though the songs are new, Moore has not shown any growth or any material promising enough to get listeners excited about his much-rumored and yet-to-be-released full-length album.
In fact, most of the songs on "Bangarang" provide nothing to distinguish them from the slew of dubstep artists out there or even from Moore's work on his EP from 2010, "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," or 2011's "More Monsters and Sprites." On "Breakin' a Sweat," which samples The Doors, some of music is actually reminiscent of an ‘80s video game with the familiar bleeps many have come to expect from classics like "Super Mario." In a song, they hold less charm.
While the lyrics are minimalist and repetitive, they do help identify tracks that otherwise would simply become a blur of mechanical noise.
Although the EP is not his best, to his credit, Moore is simply riding the newest wave in music out of obscurity. With the rising popularity of dubstep, leaving fans without new material for over a year would simply mean them getting their fix elsewhere.
With Skrillex, Moore has created a cult following similar to what he garnered with FFTL in 2004 resulting in a total of five Grammy nominations last year. Now, his music has put him in the running for BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.
One thing Skrillex does do well is incorporate engaging beats that, whether you like the music or not, are sure to get you moving and in many cases wondering why. The music is perfect for his new position as a club staple though there is little hope for much else.
Moore's work on "Bangarang" is almost enough to make a listener wish he would return to a project similar to From First to Last. Though, on second thought, maybe it would just be best for Moore to stop making music and do all our ears a favor.
Alyana Alfaro can be reached at alyana. alfaro@student.shu.edu.
