Skrillex’s ‘Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites’ hit digital stores and invigorated dance music eight years ago today

by: Asher Norris Oct 22, 2018

Before Skrillex was an electronic music legend with an entire universe of fans and artists in his orbit, there was a debut EP called Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites that started it all.

Crafted on a laptop in his apartment in 2010, the EP hit Beatport eight years ago on October 22 via mau5trap recordings and Big Beat records – and it was like nothing heard before. Dubstep was bubbling up in the scene prior to the release, but Skrillex’s formula catapulted bass music in the public eye in the United States like never before. The future OWSLA boss’ debut would go on to win a Grammy for best dance/electronica album and define an early era of America’s dance music explosion.

Each and every track on the EP is pure old school electro and dubstep. Signature pitched-up vocals and now-iconic Skrillex growls are everywhere, as are an absolutely astounding array of future heavyweights collaborators and remixers including Bare Noize, Noisia, and a budding young electro artist named Zedd. The title track still batters ear drums with oh-so-sweet brutality, and “With You, Friend [Long Drive]” remains one of the most gorgeous songs in the Skrillex catalog. The artist has reinvented himself and experimented endlessly since the EP’s release, leaving some fans still pining for his initial sound. No matter where the next Skrillex era is headed, the genesis of it all still unapologetically bangs.