When independent artists continue to stay independent instead of succumbing to the living hell of corporate record labels, rarely are they as well known as Skrillex is. With his newest release Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, his first on Big Beat Records in coordination with Mau5trap records (founded by legendary electronic artist Deadmau5 and in it’s infancy), it dominated the charts on Beatport- and not just for dubstep but for many other subgenres as well, taking number one spots across the board.
Not only is his original work absolute genius, he is a master remixer. So far, Lady Gaga, La Roux, and Black Eyed Peas, to namedrop a bit, have commissioned him for official remixes. Even with the fame, Sonny Moore still stress that it is really about innovation in music. “For me, it’s important to believe in and love the music you’re making. I gave away my first EP on my manager’s website, just so people could hear the music,” he enthuses. “It was downloaded by the thousands in just a couple of months, and it hasn’t let up since. That’s all the inspiration I need to keep making music. SKRILLEX can be anything I want it to be,” he continues hopefully. “There are so many different avenues for music now. Video games, movie scores – the possibilities are endless, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
I happened to catch a 2.5 hour set in Seattle a few months ago, just days after the new EP dropped. I have NEVER seen a venue in Seattle THAT packed with sweaty bodies in my decade plus of Seattle scene stalking. It was insane to say the least, but probably one of the best shows I have ever seen, and probably one of the top two electronic artsits I have ever had the privilege of seeing.
If you’re in town for the fest and even have a remote interest in dance music, this is another show that is a must see. Take a few minutes and just go dance your heart out. It’ll be the highlight of the fest for you.
Friday March 18 @ 12:00AM- Mohawk Patio (all ages)
