Despite early predictions based on their now-nixed extracurricular involvement, Skrillex didn’t wind up lending beats to Ellie Goulding’s new record, Halcyon. Not directly, at least. The wonk-meets-pop production on the English singer’s latest single “Figure 8” comes from MONSTA, a London group signed to Skrill’s OWSLA imprint. Their work smooths the harsh digital flurries of dubstep with ample doses of trip-hop atmospherics and melodic piano plinking, not to mention occasional snippets of drum ‘n’ bass, as Goulding sings about a love that didn’t live up to its promise of inifinity — the titular “8,” turned on its side. Man, if this song turns out to be about MONSTA’s boss, that next label meeting is going to be awkwaaaaard. For the video, Goulding tosses and turns in bed with a buff-looking dude (so, maybe not Skrillex), smashes dishes in a busted-up flat, and is often draped in blood-red fabric whilst writhing under the soul-crushing heaviness of it all. Oh, and she eventually levitates. Cool story, brostep.
Watch Ellie Goulding Writhe for Lost Love in ‘Figure 8’ Video
