For electro-dance music fans, Sonny Moore, better known as Skrillex, beat Santa to the punch this Christmas. By releasing his most recent EP, Bangarang, Dec. 23, Skrillex didn’t drop presents from a reindeer-pulled sleigh, but instead dropped bombs of techno bass onto the ears of fans around the world.
Bangarang showcases Skrillex’s incredible versatility, breaking away from the typical constraints of dubstep by infusing a variety of sounds into the seven club-ready tracks. While at times serving up predictable dubstep fare, the EP will please Skrillex followers by featuring plenty of fresh tracks.
Two songs which did not impress me were “Right In” and “Kyoto.” Although technically strong, “Right In” sounds like an unnecessary mash-up of several different technobangers, resulting in a heavy, awkward sound. The bland “Kyoto” is reminiscent of every other average electro-dance song, and it fails to show the genius of its creator.
Luckily, Skrillex’s mistakes mainly stop there. The title track accomplishes what “Right In” and “Kyoto” could not — a harmonious combination of technical skill and commercial appeal. Skrillex produces a surprisingly mellow sound in “Summit,” the longest track on the EP at slightly more than six minutes. Despite its length, “Summit” is not longwinded or plodding, and it keeps the listener on edge for the duration of the song — a testament to the acute ear of its creator.
Bangarang also includes solid collaborative work. The Doors join Skrillex on “Breakn’ A Sweat,” creating a marriage between the former’s rock stylings and the latter’s traditional techno. A fun song with plenty of vocal integration, “Breakn’ a Sweat” doesn’t blow the door off its hinges, but it will keep you dancing until the music stops.
“Right On Time,” featuring dubstep favorites Kill the Noise and 12th Planet, is another typical club track. While of higher quality than “Kyoto,” “Right on Time” is still a bit lacking as half the song feels like an anticlimactic build up to a massive drop which never happens. Finally, “The Devil’s Den” with dee-jay Wolfgang Gartner is the EP’s heavy banger which causes your bones to vibrate with every roaring bass thump.
Most of the songs are good or very good, but none are extraordinary. Still, Bangarang is certainly worth the money. Additionally, fans and casual listeners alike can think of Bangarang as a hint of the upcoming full-length album Voltage, Skrillex’s first release on his record label OWSLA. Many have speculated that Bangarang includes the lower-quality tier of Skrillex’s latest songs and that his better work is being saved for 2012’s Voltage. Whether these rumors are true or not will be revealed in time, but for now, enjoy Bangarang. After all, Skrillex’s average is most artists’ fantastic.