Skrillex is best known for aggressive songs that lace together teeth-rattling breakdowns, so his new three-song EP comes as a bit of a surprise. The EP's title track, "Leaving," was released Thursday and offers a spare, stripped down production with clean drums and nary a trace of his typical wobbles.
Those more familiar with Skrillex (born Sonny Moore), however, know that his production discography and personal tastes extend far beyond the tank tops and Red Bull market. He has spoken at length about his love for Aphex Twin and Burial, producers who make electronic music that's about as far away from, say, "Bangarang" as possible.
Moore was also the lead singer of an emo band, From First to Last. And though his recent collaborations tend to take their brand of brostep and impose them on other genres, his work with the remaining members of The Doors and Damien Marley has proved somewhat interesting.
"Every decision I make, I want to feel honest about," Moore told Pitchfork in March. "I'm not chasing opportunity. I don't wanna do something for money if I'm not interested in it."
When performing as Skrillex, Moore uses a custom-made spaceship DJ booth that "takes off" and rises into the air at particularly exciting moments of his set. That, along with his asymmetrical haircut and black-rim glasses, are his trademarks (like deadmau5's mask). There are a lot of theatrics involved in electronic dance music, but Skrillex's humility and good cheer are what have made him a posterchild for the movement and drawn in collaborators from Kanye West and A$AP Rocky to the aforementioned Doors.
Take a listen to "Leaving" above and let us know what you think in the comments. Skrillex's dubstep is available in the gallery below.
