Moby, a/k/a Richard Melville Hall, is a descendant of Moby Dick author Herman Melville. His music's eclectic depth is the result of a long journey through such critically acclaimed groups as Flipper and Ultra Vivid Scene.
"People see me as a techno musician or a dance act, but I've played music for 20 years," he explains. "I've been a classical musician, I've played jazz, speed metal, hardcore, punk (as a member of the Vatican Commandos), bad new wave," he laughs. "I was in a bad rock'n'roll cover band--I can still to this day do Eric Clapton songs. We were 14 years old."
Moby was drawn in by the complexity of techno. "People tend to be dismissive of dance acts--oh, he's some dumb DJ, anyone can do that," he says. "But an electronic musician has to know the systems of 40, or 50 pieces of equipment where the operating book for each is the size of a phone book. In some ways, it's much more difficult than other kinds of music."
"There are some advantages," he deadpans. "Electronic instruments don't complain, they don't smoke, you don't have to pay them very much..."
This album sees Moby exploring a more leftfield aspect of his persona moving away from the high energy, floor friendly beat-fest of 'Everything Is Wrong' and the Eno-esque ethereal noodlings on 'Ambient' and creating a hybrid masterpiece.
For 'Play' Moby has decided to mesh such diverse elements as blues, soul and jazz with contemporary beats and structures.
From the opening track 'Honey', right through to laid-back ephemeral 'Porcelain', the happy-sad 'Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad', the breakbeats and guitars of the gorgeous 'Bodyrock' and the bluesy hymn-like 'Natural Blues', the album oozes quality.
The album has an almost transcendental flavour diffused as it is with gospel undercurrents and narco-mystical dance-floor euphoria. It's like Moby discovered god and god was groovin'.
While his previous albums explored rave and hardcore, sometimes simultaneously, this is a far more cohesive body of work. The fact that every track on the album has been licensed in some way or other is a testament to the depth of quality Moby has imbued into the album's entirety. You won't find any throwaway album tracks here. With so many quality songs to choose from how they ever decided what to release as single must have been nigh on impossible.
In Play Moby has created an album that deserves to go on every wish, birthday and play list around the world. An essential purchase.
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Very good op, I thought that this was a bit of a hyped album, so avoided it for a long time, but when I finally heard it, wow. Fine op, cheers sy
crustypaul 03.12.2001 20:02
Whoops! Sorry if that sounded offensive, I'm just getting myself on one again, cheers!
crustypaul 03.12.2001 20:00
I'm gonna have to disagree on this one. This album is about as groundbreaking as my arse. I can respect what Moby has done in the past with Go!, Thousand and for having the balls to make that punk guitar album, but i can't help wondering how much effort it really takes to get a load old old blues records, rip them off totally and stick some fairly standard electronic beats behind it. It just seems like a good idea at the right time instead of good music. But thats just my opinion and i freely admit to being a musical fascist :)
The great iconoclast of techno returns with a smooth, sacred and exhilarating ... more
record.Play's concoction of breakbeat rhythms, ambient mixology and inspired blues and gospel samples cry out across musical genres and histories, imparting a time-tested wis...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The great iconoclast of techno returns with a smooth, sacred and exhilarating record. ... more
Play's concoction of breakbeat rhythms, ambient mixology and inspired blues and gospel samples cry out across musical genres and histories, imparting a time-tested wi...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Nov 26th, 2001
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