Quest For Fire

About

No one could accuse Sonny Moore of being unmotivated in the years following 2014’s <i>Recess</i>—the electronic maverick better known as Skrillex kept up a seemingly endless stream of single, remixe, high-profile collabs (Justin Bieber, Travis Scott), and co-signs of rising artists—but the lack of a follow-up album was nevertheless conspicuou. Nine years later, with <i>Quest for Fire</i>, he more than makes up for lost time. At once sprawling and punchy, the 15-track LP offers the fullest picture yet of the visionary producer’s range. Skrillex’s fondness for bass is well-represented: Virtually every track is flooded with voluminous low-end frequencie, typically in the form of stonking FM patches that glisten like oil slick. The opening “Leave Me Like This” rides a wriggly riff straight out of the UK style known simply as bassline; “Tear,” a collaboration with UK producer Joker and Sleepnet, an artist from Noisia’s orbit, pays tribute to old-school South London bass music. Yet dubstep, for all its importance to Skrillex’s origin, is little more than a footnote on <i>Quest for Fire</i>. Stylistically, the album covers lush, melodic garage (“Butterflie,” with Starrah and Four Tet), Middle Eastern club (“XENA,” with Palestinian singer/composer Nai Barghouti), futuristic dancehall (the gargantuan “Rumble,” with Fred again.. and Flowdan), and more. What it all has in common, beyond the seismic undertow, are Skrillex’s filigreed vocal chops and intricate drum programming, which continue to unlock new levels of hyperkinetic energy. .

via Apple Music

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