Honestly, it is kinda wild to think about. We are sitting here in 2026, and people are still losing their minds when those chopped-up vocal stabs hit the speakers. You know the ones. That high-pitched, chaotic energy that defined an entire era of the internet. First of the Year (Equinox) isn't just a song anymore; it's basically a cultural artifact that refused to stay in 2011.
Earlier today, Skrillex dropped his new EP, Kora, right on his birthday. It’s light-years away from the "brostep" sounds of the early 2010s. It's glitchy, experimental, and features folks like Varg2™ and Siiickbrain. But even as Sonny Moore evolves into this avant-garde electronic titan, the shadow of the "Equinox" era looms large. Why? Because that track was the moment everything changed for dance music in America.
Why First of the Year (Equinox) Still Hits Different
You've probably heard the story behind the "Call 911 now!" sample a thousand times. If you haven't, it’s peak early-YouTube. It came from a viral video of a woman screaming at some skaters. Sonny took that raw, frantic energy and turned it into a weapon.
It wasn't just about the "drop." Though, let’s be real, the drop was massive. It was the juxtaposition. You had these delicate, shimmering melodies that sounded like a music box, and then—bam—total sonic warfare. In 2011, that was polarizing. In 2026, it’s nostalgic.
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The music video played a huge role in its legacy too. Directed by Tony Truand, it featured a creepy guy following a little girl into an underground parking garage. Then, the girl turns out to be some sort of telekinetic monster-entity. It was dark, weird, and visually matched the "More Monsters and Sprites" aesthetic perfectly. It eventually racked up over 400 million views. That’s not just a "hit" for a dubstep song; that’s a mainstream juggernaut.
The 2026 Context: Festivals and Grammys
If you look at the 2026 festival lineups, Skrillex is everywhere. He’s headlining Bonnaroo in June. He’s top of the bill for Primavera Sound Barcelona. He's even hitting the Lollapalooza circuit in South America.
Fans are currently buzzing because his 2025 album, which has the incredibly long title FCK U SKRILLEX YOU THINK UR ANDY WARHOL BUT UR NOT!! <3*, just pulled in two Grammy nominations. One for Best Dance/Electronic Album and another for the track "Voltage." It’s a 34-track monster of a record that proves he hasn't lost his touch for massive, complex arrangements.
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- Genre: Dubstep / Electro House
- Release Date: June 7, 2011
- Key Sample: "Call 911 now!" (Viral skater video)
- 2026 Relevance: Anniversary sets and heavy rotation in "throwback" festival segments.
The Evolution from Equinox to Kora
It’s interesting to compare the "Equinox" sound to what he’s doing now. Kora, the EP that just landed, is much more stripped back. It’s analogue. It’s "headphone music," as he reportedly described it.
The track "Yo Yan" with Sacred Family is a far cry from the aggressive growls of his early work. But the DNA is still there. Sonny Moore has always been obsessed with the human voice—chopping it, stretching it, and making it feel like an instrument. Whether it’s the "Call 911" lady or the haunting vocals on Kora, that signature style is the thread that ties his whole career together.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Early Days
There's this weird misconception that Skrillex just appeared out of nowhere with a laptop and ruined dubstep. People forget he was Sonny from From First to Last. He came from the post-hardcore scene. He brought that "emo" sensibility—the drama, the angst, the explosive energy—to electronic music.
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When First of the Year (Equinox) came out, the "purists" hated it. They thought it was too loud, too busy, too "American." But you can't argue with the influence. Every major producer today, from Fred again.. to the underground bass scene, owes a debt to the structural risks Sonny took back then.
How to Experience the Legacy Today
If you're looking to dive back into that era or see how it translates to 2026, here is the move.
- Watch the "Equinox" video again. Seriously. The VFX (which won an MTV VMA) still holds up surprisingly well.
- Listen to the "First of the Year" demo. You can find old "Equinox" IDs on Reddit and YouTube that show how the track evolved from a melodic demo into the beast it became.
- Catch a 2026 Live Set. If you’re at Bonnaroo or Primavera this summer, pay attention to the transition when he plays his older material. He usually remixes these classics with his newer, more refined production style, creating a "best of both worlds" experience.
- Check out the Kora EP. It’s only three tracks, but it’s the cutting edge of where he’s at right now.
The "Year of the Equinox" might have been 2011, but in the world of electronic music, Skrillex has made sure that year never really ended. He just kept building on top of it until he became the architect of the entire landscape.
For those tracking his tour, he’s scheduled for Lollapalooza Chile in March 2026 before heading to Europe for the summer festival run. Expect a lot of "911" screams in the desert heat this year.