The thing about Skrillex is his music is often easy—you don't have to think about a song like "Bangarang" or "KILL EVERYBODY" too hard, because all you have to do is move your body and wait for the earth-shattering drop. But nobody said that just because a piece of music wasn't particularly hard to listen to or enjoy makes it bad: often, the best music is that which grabs you by the lapels and force you to engage with it on a visceral level, whether it's the wailings of Michael Gira, the wordplay of vintage Weezy or yes, the immediacy of a good dubstep drop.
Though it's easy to write him off as a one-trick pony, an ex-emo interloper in the realm of electronic music, Skrillex is anything but, and he's got an active interest in proving it to you. Hence "Leaving," his newest track from a (presumably) upcoming EP of the same name. Released on his YouTube page with little in the way of PR or fanfare, "Leaving" finds Skrillex mining lithe, nuanced territory more in line with producers like Burial or Four Tet than the caverns of sound that he foregrounded on his earliest work. While this is great news for those of us who enjoy complicated, serious production, the reactions from the die-hards are, uh, mixed. Regardless, it's really rewarding to see a musician as beloved for doing a very specific thing such as Skrillex eschewing the ground where he hit paydirt once and instead following his own muse. There's no telling whether "Leaving" is a harbinger of a completely new style or not, but regardless it's a welcome turn from a talented artist who's rewarding himself by stretching his style a bit.
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Ace of Base's Secret Nazi Past
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Parquet Courts - "Light Up Gold Road Trip" (Full Documentary)
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R.I.P. Storm Thorgerson (1944-2013)
On Thursday, the hyper-talented graphic designer, artist, and famed album cover creator Storm Thorgerson passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 69 years old.
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The Internet Is Scary
As of six months ago, my Facebook fanpage is like a dojo where hormonal teenagers hone their technique. Here is a heartfelt poem from some kid who wants to rape, kill, and marry me.
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I Accidentally Touched Little Richard's Butt One Time
It was in the Detroit airport. After it happened Little Richard said, "He graze my derriere."
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Listen to St. Lucia's Remix of The Colourist's "Little Games"
Last month, Cali quartet the Colourist released "Little Games," and St. Lucia just pulled a warm Balearic blanket over the whole thing, sanding away its rough edges with bright synths and lightly gated percussion.
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Aaron Montaigne, Godfather of Screamo, is More Interesting Than You Can Ever Hope to Be - Part Two
On surviving combat in Iraq and Afghanistan with the help of magic, 'Bladerunner,' and everything in between.
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