SKRILLEX
When Sonny Moore, better known by his stage name Skrillex, released his landmark album “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” in 2010, it sent shockwaves through the electronic music community and beyond. With its heavy, innovative use of growling low-end robotic sounds, the album sounded unlike anything that had come before it in dubstep, electro, or bass music. I was instantly hooked on Skrillex’s new and unique sound.
And when I started producing music, I was determined to recreate those iconic Skrillex growls and basslines in my experiments. I searched far and wide to find the right plugins and synths that could generate similar sounds. Eventually, I settled on Native Instruments Massive synth as the tool to help me sculpt the raw materials needed for menacing low-end monsters. I’ve spent countless hours tweaking knobs, automating filters, and experimenting with different sound design techniques.
Within my local producer circle of friends, Skrillex mania was everywhere. We were all continuously sharing our latest “Skrillex-esque” creations, pushing each other to new levels of experimental sound design. Even if our results paled compared to the real thing, it was an extremely inspiring period of creative exploration for an aspiring artist like myself. Skrillex had lit a fire under us and raised the bar for what was possible from a one-man bedroom studio setup.
While Skrillex’s musical style has evolved in recent years, his early groundbreaking albums still hold a special place for me. Even if I don’t fully connect with his newer directions, I greatly respect the path he blazed and the impact he has had on generations of producers worldwide.
There are many senior artists and musicians that I look up to. Still, Skrillex will always stand out as a unique inspiration. He challenged all notions of what was possible from a laptop in a bedroom.
His influence on countless artists like myself is immeasurable.