Bangarang | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
EP by | ||||
Released | December 23, 2011 | |||
Recorded | June–August 2011 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 30:08 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Skrillex chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Bangarang | ||||
|
Bangarang is the fourth EP by American electronic music producer Skrillex. It was released on December 23, 2011, via Beatport while being released on other digital retailers on December 27, 2011. [2] It was released on January 24, 2012, as a physical CD. [3] It was announced via Skrillex's Twitter page on December 12, 2011, that the album was completed, [4] while the release date was also announced on December 21. [5] The record is mostly a collection of songs that have been previously performed during The Mothership Tour (with the exception of "Right on Time"). It features collaborations with the Doors, Sirah, Wolfgang Gartner, 12th Planet, Kill the Noise and Ellie Goulding. Musically, Bangarang has multiple influences of electro, dubstep and techno, while also incorporating elements of eurodance, drum and bass, rap rock, experimental rock and ska. [6] [7] It features syncopated rhythmic build-ups, technical breakdowns and "chopped-up" vocal hooks, as well as multiple vocal samples. [7] [8] [9] [10] An orchestral song was also featured as a bonus track on the iTunes edition.
Bangarang received mixed reviews from music critics, but was a commercial success upon release, charting within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Its lead single, "Bangarang", charted in multiple countries worldwide and reached the top 10 in Australia and Belgium. Due to strong digital sales following the album's release, "Kyoto" and "Breakn' a Sweat" charted in multiple countries as well. "Breakn' a Sweat" was featured in the 2012 documentary film Re:Generation. Music videos have been released for "Breakn' a Sweat", "Summit" and "Bangarang". The Bangarang had sold 595,000 copies in the United States by March 2014, [11] and on July 11, 2016, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Musically, while Bangarang prominently uses elements of electro house, dubstep and progressive house, it is more diverse than his previous material, including multiple influences of trance, drum and bass, rap rock, experimental rock and ska. [6] [7] [ improper synthesis? ] It uses syncopated rhythmic build-ups, technical breakdowns, "chopped-up" vocal hooks and vocal samples throughout its composition. [7] [8] [9] [10] [ improper synthesis? ]
The first track, "Right In", has multiple influences of dubstep and electro house and has been described as "one long adrenaline rush of stabbing keyboard chords, sawed-off vocal samples and Skrillex's trademark: squirming, squalling synth lines". [12] It has also been compared to the opener on his previous remix EP More Monsters and Sprites , "First of the Year (Equinox)". [13] The title track, "Bangarang", also uses heavy influences of Moombahcore and has been compared to the previous track. It uses "chopped-up vocal hooks" performed by American rapper Sirah, with the last line of the song saying "I'm eating Fun Dip right now/Not givin' a fuck". [14] It has been described as having a "concussive collection of blips and bursts that sounds like something Moby might hear in his head during a heart attack". [15] Breakn' a Sweat was written for the 2012 documentary film Re:Generation. It has been described as combining "proggy guitar hooks, psychedelic organ chords, and Jim Morrison samples with a snarling, Prodigy-esque vocal and a filthy slab of dub bass". [7] It has been highlighted as the most unusual track on the release by several music critics. "The Devil's Den" features guest contributions from Wolfgang Gartner and has been described as "Daft Punk-go-Dirty Vegas". It uses elements of trance, techno, ska and rave. [7] [15]
"Right on Time" has been described as "a percussive, hard house collaboration with 12th Planet and Kill the Noise which eventually builds into a feverish slice of happy hardcore", [7] and although it has been complimented for its uniqueness in comparison with the rest of the record, its use of repetition has been criticized. "Kyoto" is a "rap-metal fusion" that is also the second track to feature Sirah. [7] It has been compared to rap rock artists such as Linkin Park and Travis Barker. [16] [17] "Summit" is the final track (with the exception of the iTunes edition) and features English singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding. It is an electronic song that has elements of chillstep and uses Skrillex's "chopped up", Auto-Tune vocals. [7] [15] Goulding's vocals have been described as "ethereal" and "delicate". [7] [12] The iTunes edition of Bangarang includes an "Orchestral Suite" performed by Varien and arranged by Van Dyke Parks.
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 60/100 [18] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Alternative Press | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The A.V. Club | C [17] |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MSN Music (Expert Witness) | A− [20] |
NME | 4/10 [21] |
Now | 3/5 [22] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 7/10 [15] |
Toronto Star | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Bangarang received generally mixed reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 60, based on 10 reviews. [18] Dan LeRoy of Alternative Press felt that the album's "go-for-the-throat" songs and "uncomplicated, catchy fun" do not reveal "much about Skrillex's long-term prospects." [12] Evan Rytlewski of The A.V. Club said that, although Skrillex is a "more skillful producer than his detractors give him credit for", he still resorts to "gimmicks" in order to reach his audience. [17] Gavin Haynes of NME found his music artificial, albeit with occasionally "good results". [21] AllMusic's Jon O'Brien observed a "lack of progression" from Skrillex and called the release "disappointingly formulaic". He also felt that even the more unconventional songs are "more headache-inducing than thrilling." [7] Deviant of Sputnikmusic panned its songs as "the same big-boy slab of molten bass drops and screeching whistles", but without a "spark" or "sense of attitude", and accused Skrillex of producing "the same half-assed bass trends". [13]
In a positive review for MSN Music , Robert Christgau called Bangarang an "electronical vista" and said it is "a pop record because its shamelessly hedonistic barrage of proven dancefloor tricks will obviously be more fun at home than in a club." [20] August Brown of the Los Angeles Times felt that, although Skrillex continues his "singular, manic sound", the "quick" tracks that defined his previous work are "more skillful and sonically intriguing". [19] Ben Rayner of the Toronto Star found it "far smarter than Skrillex's reputation for doling out cheap, bludgeoning bass-bin thrills would let on", and wrote that it displays "a remarkable gift for bending innumerable breeds of club music to his will". [23] Garrett Kamps of Spin called it "spracked out and ridiculous and fun and sometimes disposable". [15] Rolling Stone magazine's Jon Dolan called Skrillex "a magician" whose "trick is turning the elusively thwumping U.K. dance music called dubstep into high-fiving dance-floor heavy metal." [14]
Rolling Stone later named Bangarang the fourteenth greatest EDM album of all time. [1] Christgau named it the sixth best album of 2012 in his list for The Barnes & Noble Review . [24] Bangarang won the Best Dance/Electronica Album award at the 55th Grammy Awards, as well as the Best Dance Recording award for the title track. [25]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Right In" | Sonny Moore | Skrillex | 3:00 |
2. | "Bangarang" (featuring Sirah) |
| Skrillex | 3:35 |
3. | "Breakn' a Sweat" (with the Doors) | Skrillex | 5:02 | |
4. | "The Devil's Den" (with Wolfgang Gartner) |
|
| 4:53 |
5. | "Right on Time" (with 12th Planet and Kill the Noise) |
|
| 4:05 |
6. | "Kyoto" (featuring Sirah) |
| Skrillex | 3:21 |
7. | "Summit" (featuring Ellie Goulding) | Moore | Skrillex | 6:14 |
Total length: | 30:08 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [49] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [50] | Platinum | 20,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [51] | Platinum | 80,000^ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [52] | Platinum | 60,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [53] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [54] | Platinum | 30,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [55] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [56] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Big Beat Records, Inc. is an American electronic and dance music record label, owned by Warner Music Group and operates through Atlantic Records. It was founded as an independent record label in 1986 by Craig Kallman with an emphasis on house music, and later hip hop. It was absorbed into Atlantic Records in 1998, and eventually relaunched separately in 2010 as a primarily electronic music label. Its current roster includes 100 gecs, Dog Blood, Galantis, Whethan, Cash Cash, and Clean Bandit.
Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites is the second extended play (EP) by American electronic music producer Skrillex. It was released exclusively through Beatport on October 22, 2010, through mau5trap and Big Beat Records, while being released on December 20 for digital download via other online retailers and on March 1, 2011, as a physical release. It was recorded in 2010 at Skrillex's apartment using a laptop. The EP features guest contributions from Pennybirdrabbit, Foreign Beggars and Bare Noize as well as remixes done by Noisia, Zedd and Bare Noize. It won two Grammys at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards: one for Best Dance Recording, and another for Best Dance/Electronica Album.
More Monsters and Sprites is the third EP and first remix album by American electronic music producer Skrillex. It was released exclusively on Beatport on June 7, 2011 through Big Beat Records and mau5trap Recordings, while being released on other online retailers on June 21, 2011. It is a follow-up to his previous EP, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, containing four additional remixes of the title track done by Dirtyphonics, Phonat, The Juggernauts and Kaskade, as well as three original tracks. The iTunes version also includes a music video of "Rock n' Roll ". Musically, More Monsters and Sprites uses prominent elements of dubstep, while also featuring technical breakdowns and influences of reggae within the first track.
The Path of Totality is the tenth studio album by American nu metal band Korn. It was released on December 2, 2011, in Europe and December 6, 2011, in the US. The album was produced by various electronic music producers such as Skrillex, Noisia, Excision and various other independent producers. "Get Up!", is one of three tracks produced by Skrillex, and was released as a digital download on May 6, 2011. "Narcissistic Cannibal" was released as the second single on October 18, 2011.
"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" is a song recorded by the American producer Skrillex. It is the second track from his second extended play, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, released on October 22, 2010, through Mau5trap and Big Beat. The song began as a test for the Native Instruments synthesizer FM8 and was the first written for the EP. A dubstep track, critics noted the contrast between the beginning of the song and its drop. In 2012, it was used in multiple media and won the Best Dance Recording category at the 54th Grammy Awards. The song charted in multiple countries and received a double platinum certification in Australia, Sweden, and the United States (RIAA). It has since been named as a highly influential electronic dance music (EDM) and dubstep song.
American DJ and music producer Skrillex has released three studio albums, seven extended plays, 46 singles, and 54 music videos.
"Bangarang" is a song by American electronic music producer Skrillex. It was released as a single from his EP of the same name. It features guest rap vocals from American hip hop recording artist Sirah. "Bangarang" intersperses Sirah's rap vocals throughout the song. The song's title and lyrics reflect the battle cry of the Lost Boys in the 1991 movie Hook.
"Kyoto" is a song by American electronic music producer Skrillex featuring Sirah, taken from his fourth EP as Skrillex, Bangarang. Musically, the song has multiple influences of drum and bass, dubstep and electro house, while also having notable elements of hip hop music and metal music, using "heavy, distorted guitar rhythms" within its composition. The song received generally mixed reviews from music critics, with some criticizing its use of formula in comparison to his previous material. Due to strong digital downloads after the EP's release, the song charted in several countries worldwide, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and United States.
"Breakn' a Sweat" is a song by American electronic music producer Skrillex. It is the third track on his fourth EP, Bangarang. It features guest vocal and musical contributions from the surviving members of the American rock band the Doors. It was created for Re:Generation music project, a 2012 documentary film. It contains a vocal sample from a 1960s interview with Jim Morrison, while the remaining members of the Doors and Skrillex did the chants. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, with some highlighting it as the standout track from the EP. The song charted at number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. Zedd included his remix on the deluxe edition of Clarity.
The 2nd Law is the sixth studio album by English rock band Muse, first released on 28 September 2012 through Warner Bros. Records and the band's own Helium-3 imprint. Recording of the album took place in studios between London and Los Angeles County, beginning in October 2011 and ending in August 2012. The 2nd Law was Muse's second album to be solely self-produced, following The Resistance (2009), and features a plethora of additional musicians that performed brass, strings, and choir vocals.
When the Lights Go Out EP is a five-song EP by Australian DJ and recording artist Havana Brown. It was released for digital download on 17 July 2012 by Island Records Australia as Brown's first EP. The Australian version of the EP includes five new songs, while the US version includes the international remix of "We Run the Night" featuring American rapper Pitbull. The track, being Brown's debut single, written by Cassie Davis and Snob Scrilla, and produced by RedOne, was released in September 2011 and became her first US top 40 hit, reaching number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. The EP peaked at number 16 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum.
18 Months is the third studio album by Scottish DJ and musician Calvin Harris. It was released on 26 October 2012 by Deconstruction, Fly Eye and Columbia Records. It marked Harris's first album where he does not regularly provide vocals on each song, instead producing the music and having guest singers sing for him, as Harris stated in late 2010 he did not intend to sing on his songs anymore. The album also shows a shift from Harris' usual nu disco-style songs, focusing more on an electro house style.
Alessia De Gasperis, formerly known as Kai, is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Toronto, Ontario. Best known for her collaborations, she co-wrote and was featured on Flume's Grammy-nominated "Never Be Like You", Diplo's "Revolution", and "Mind" from by Jack Ü's Grammy award-winning 2015 album.
Sara Elizabeth Mitchell, better known by her stage name Sirah, is an American rapper and singer from Los Angeles. She collaborated with Skrillex, on "WEEKENDS!!!", "Kyoto", and the hit single "Bangarang".
Stars Dance is the debut solo studio album by American singer Selena Gomez. It was released on July 19, 2013, by Hollywood Records. Gomez began planning the project in 2012, at which time she announced that her band Selena Gomez & the Scene would be taking an indefinite hiatus, and continued work into 2013. Stars Dance is an EDM and electropop album, incorporating elements of dubstep, techno, disco, electro house and worldbeat. Gomez worked with producers such as Rock Mafia and The Cataracs on the album.
Rowan Tyler Jones, known by his stage name Route 94, is an English record producer and remixer from Richmond, London. Initially producing dubstep as Dream, Jones worked with the likes of Skream, Benga and Katy B. He then began producing house music. His single "My Love" was a commercial success, reaching number one in three charts.
Recess is the debut studio album by American record producer Skrillex, released on March 14, 2014, by Owsla, Big Beat Records, and Atlantic Records. It was recorded between 2013 and 2014 whilst Skrillex was touring around the world.
Jack Ü was an American electronic dance music duo consisting of electronic music producers Skrillex and Diplo, formed in 2013. They released their first official single, "Take Ü There", featuring vocals from Kiesza, on October 4, 2014. They released their first and only album, Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü, on February 27, 2015.
Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü is the only studio album by American DJ duo Jack Ü, individually known as Skrillex and Diplo. It was released on February 27, 2015, by Owsla and Mad Decent, Skrillex and Diplo's respective labels. The album features collaborations with a range of artists including Kiesza, AlunaGeorge, 2 Chainz, Missy Elliott and Justin Bieber. It also features the Trinidadian soca artist Bunji Garlin. The album produced the internationally successful single "Where Are Ü Now" featuring Justin Bieber.
Skin is the second studio album by Australian electronic musician Flume. It was released on 27 May 2016 by Future Classic. The album was Flume's second full-length release following his self-titled debut in 2012. It features guest appearances from Kai, Vic Mensa, Kučka, Tove Lo, Vince Staples, Allan Kingdom, Raekwon, Little Dragon, AlunaGeorge, MNDR, and Beck.