music
December 30, 2025
‘By 15, I was hanging out with Skrillex’: the idiosyncratic club music of reformed EDM kid Villager
Disillusioned by his early EDM success, Alex Young bought hardware, embraced UK dance culture – and reinvented himself
TL;DR
- Alex Young, as a teenager, found success in the EDM scene, opening for artists like Skrillex and Diplo.
- Disillusioned by the commercial aspects of EDM, Young stopped DJing under his old name and began exploring UK electronic music.
- He reinvented himself as Villager, creating organic-sounding club music using hardware like sequencers and samplers.
- Villager's music has been praised by tastemakers such as Ben UFO, Four Tet, and Jamie xx.
- Young struggled with ketamine addiction, which led him to cancel a tour and seek help.
- His recent album, 'Old Friend,' reflects his journey and newfound clarity about his music career.
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