‘F*ck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol But Ur Not!! <3’ is Skrillex’s last album for Atlantic Records. He could have made an album full of radio-friendly commercial bangers to eke out as much money from the project. He could have half-arsed it to get out of his contract as quickly as possible. And when Skrillex dropped the album on April Fool’s Day via his mailing list, it seemed like that was the plan. But the joke’s not on us, but on the label – this is the dubstep triumph they could have gotten years ago.
‘Fck U Skrillex…’ is the most cohesive album he’s released so far. Recorded as a 34-track, seamless DJ mix, the record captures the relentless whiplash energy of Skrillex’s old live shows. A love letter to the dance culture he helped foster, ‘Fck U Skrillex…’ is a joyous retrospective of what made him a global phenomenon.
Hosted by phonk legend DJ Smokey, who provides an appropriately ironic tone across the whole record, Skrillex name-checks many longtime collaborators. There’s a reference to his protegé Porter Robinson and his first EP on the tyre-screeching ‘Spitfire’, while hyperpop upstart Dylan Brady and British bass veteran Joker are some of the many named credits on the record.
Admittedly, many of the techniques Skrillex uses in his transitions haven’t aged well. There are only so many sped-up snares and risers you can listen to without thinking of that one Lonely Island sketch (or this hilarious Soundcloud mix). But the drops are so worth it – and in a post-hyperpop world, it’s even more impressive that they still manage to make so much impact, like on the long-awaited ‘Voltage’, or the grinding halftime banger ‘San Diego VIP’.
Though Skrillex started out as the face of brostep, ‘F*ck U Skrillex…’ is proof of how much he’s diversified his sound over the years – and he glides through his sonic catalogue again here pretty effortlessly. There’s the crunchy, minimalist sub bass of ‘Squishy Clip’, a nod to Brazilian funk on the roaring ‘While You Were Sleeping VIP’, and the shuffling techno of ‘Zeet Noise’.
Occasionally, these don’t quite pan out – ‘D&B Ting’ just adds to the mountain of ingratiating, metallic drum’n’bass tracks that already exist. But the record is saved by its commitment to chaos, good-natured humour (“This beat drop has been seized by Atlantic Records and has been replaced with silence”, with literal cricket sounds transitioning into a new song? Genius) and its genuine love for the community Skrillex has helped build. No joke – this is serious fun.
