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Time for the thirteenth instalment in the "Skrillex Book Club".
ICYMI, we're taking a listening journey through the discography of the great Sonny Moore and sharing some of our thoughts along the way.
Last week, we listened to the bad one.
This week, the storm clouds part and the sun rises once more...
F*CK U SKRILLEX YOU THINK UR ANDY WARHOL BUT UR NOT!! <3 (2025)
Holy peak.
I may go as far to say that this is the best thing Skrillex has released in the past 10 years. An incredible amalgamation of both new and old. As this was a surprise release, I had no idea it was coming out until the Dropbox link landed in my inbox. And what a surprise it was. A 46 minute continuous mix of new tracks, VIPs, and leaks dating as far back as 2010. I sat my ass down and listened Immediately. Honestly, I wish I could listen to it for the first time again.
What a fun record this is. That's the best way I can describe it. Pure fun and energy. It doesn't take itself too seriously, as is evident by the various ad-libs from host DJ Smokey. There are some really good ones lol. I think my favourite is "I have Skrillex trapped in my basement. Play this at full volume or I'll put him in the hole". The continuous mix really works well here. Drop after drop after drop. Never a dull moment. It's kinda hard to touch on tracks individually because of it being a mix though, most are pretty short. A few highlights of mine are the pair "Things I Promised" and "Recovery" (featuring another fave ad-lib, "F*ck Skrillex. This is Sonny Moore"). They work so well together I just count them as one track. The "See You Again VIP" is also great. I love how it almost teases the appearance of Voltage later on the track list but we'll get to that. "ZEET NOISE" with Dylan Brady is definitely a good one. It's a little underwhelming on its own but by god does it hit when you put it in a mix. "Fricky VIP" is the next hint we get of "the Old Skrillex". This one reworks a DJ tool from 2011 (I first heard it under the title "True Gangsters" but apparently it was called "Fricky Long" according to the Sonny Moore Tracker). A nice little first taste of the nostalgia yet to come.
When I say that this is a great mix of both new and old Skrillex, I mean it both in sensibilities and literally. The newer tracks while clearly in his more modern style, have the same energy and lightheartedness that I'd expect from earlier in his career. The production is still top notch but it doesn't feel like it's trying to rub it in your face. There's nothing more to prove here. The literal part is in it's resurfacing of tracks from Sonny's "golden era". The 3 track run before the album's outro is an absolute trip. "DNB TING", a Bangarang-era outtake, is the first of the trio and Oh My God it goes so hard. Funnily enough, this is where I start to tear up a little lol. It just brings me back to a very particular time in my childhood - browsing the Skrillex Mothership forums, listening to all of these leaks and unreleased tracks on a shitty MP3 downloader app I had on my iPod Touch. Another one of those tracks being "San Diego VIP". You have no idea how psyched I was to see this on the tracklist and finally getting an official release. Even alongside the more modern sounding tracks, it still sounds fresh to me. It really felt like a full circle moment. Even more so going into "Voltage". The drop on this version is crazy and definitely works to blend the old and new eras. I'm used to the earlier demo version's drop and so still more partial to it but really, both are great.
I realize most of my thoughts on this record have just been "wow, this song is awesome", but this album really is one that I don't think words can do justice. A retrospective moving in both directions. A victory lap. This felt like more than just a return to form. This felt like a thank you. What a way to end a contract.
Now it's your turn!
What are your thoughts on this album? Do you love it/hate it? Have you even heard it? (if not, go listen, the image is a link to it's RYM page)
Speak your mind!
