Skrillex’s new album Bangarang is certainly a trip down a familiar road with some new features. Now while he does try out some new things, the thing that holds the album back seems to be that, despite using new techniques, Skrillex is sticking too close to his old style. Returning fans are greeted by more voice clips and a more “world” style of music. The album to have a “samba” style on some songs; others have bits of what seem to be African style drum loops. The disappointing part is the expectation that Skrillex would be branching off and to be trying new things, yet this album leaves the listener feeling a bit let down by the lack of diversity. The one refreshing bit though is the iTunes bonus track: an orchestra playing a medley of Skrillex’s music. Other than that the album just feels like a repeat of earlier tracks.

The album does feature multiple collaborations and appearances with different artists. The list includes The Doors, Sirah, 12th Planet, and Kill The Noise. Wolfgang Garter even makes an appearance in “The Devil’s Den”. This is a sign that Skrillex’s popularity is growing even higher and higher, allowing him to get all these appearances from other musicians.

The similarities to his older work may be why Bangarang has been anticipated and well received. It topped the charts in the UK, The United States, Canada, and Australia. “Breaking a Sweat” gained so much popularity that it was used in the documentary Re: Generation. Bangarang grows even more popular as the EP gains momentum. The majority seems happy with his similarity to early albums, and this is most likely the reason for the EP’s success.

Overall, Bangarang is a success due to high sales from old fans and newcomers. While more hardcore fans may be disappointed with the lack of advancement, the more easy listening fans will be glad to hear him sticking to his style. Overall the album is a success, but suffers a bit from lack of support from the more in-depth fans.