Since the undeniable success of “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” in 2010, Sonny Moore, more commonly known by his stage name Skrillex, has been at the forefront of electronic dance music and dubstep, with the album’s well-felt ambience and chaotic yet reserved bass drops. His next release, “Bangarang,” in 2011, showcased more catchy and fun songs than the previous album, definitely intended for play at music festivals to reach a larger fanbase.

With seven extended plays under his belt, Skrillex finally released his full-length album Recess. Dubstep enthusiasts have insistantly reminded me of Skrillex’s venture into mainstream electronic dance music, stating how the only thing reminiscent of his old style is the old “wub-wub” and distorted vocals. Upon closer inspection, however, it’s clear that Skrillex’s entire album is largely an experiment. The only song that comes close to the style of his previous releases is the deep “Ragga Bomb,” with a clear jungle influence.

An example of this is the opening track, “All Fair in Love and Brostep,” where the backstory regarding samples from fellow dubstep artist Zomboy make the track a center of attention. At the same time, the supposed mash-up of tracks suggests Skrillex simply wants to have fun with the opening of the album, which speaks to the modus operandi of the album.

Skrillex demonstrates his experience in various genres through the simple diversity of each track, an essential musical free-for-all of an album. For example, “The Coast is Clear,” featuring Chance the Rapper, is extremely underdriven and low-action for a Skrillex song, which would normally make it the black-sheep track of the album. Yet, other tracks such as “Stranger” quickly shift from ambience to brutal trap music in an instant and “Fire Away” incorporates the signature distorted Skrillex vocals to create a track that is relaxing throughout.

My absolute favorite track on the album has to be the fast-paced jumper “Dirty Vibe,” which unusually features South Korean artists G-Dragon and CL. Undoubtedly the fastest paced bouncer on the album, moombahton influence is clear with the inclusion of Diplo’s production on the track. The energetic, yet American-influenced vocal lines by the traditional k-pop artists cause the track to be a different monster of its on.

Overall, to the open-minded electronic dance music listener, Skrillex’s debut album is an audible playground with many intricate parts that can only be experienced by listening to it all the way through. Some may be happy with the new experience, accept it and move on. Others may like certain tracks due to their style, whether it is Skrillex’s own or not. The only thing that can be agreed upon is that Skrillex’s influence on dance music is always prominent and “Recess” sets a great stepping stone into the world of dance music.