Electronic music veteran Moby has returns to his roots with his new album, Innocents. The album comes as his eleventh original full-length record in a career that spans over thirty years and multiple genres, with his earliest musical endeavors seated in hardcore punk before experimenting with electronic music.
Considered a key figure in creating modern electronica and though his albums have seen much success, even today, as electronic music continues to flood the gates of mainstream music culture, Moby’s music falls on the wayside of what’s on-trend and radio-friendly and believe it or not, he’s entirely okay with that.
That is where the beauty of ‘Innocents’ lies: Beyond the collaborations and flawless production quality is music that is wholeheartedly and unapologetic-ally a labor of love.
From the first swell of the warm, gliding synth, ‘Innocents’ is unmistakably a Moby record. The spacious soundscapes and disjointed, house-lite percussion which could seem to have been lifted from his prior effort, ‘Play’ make it seem as if we’re back in 1999 again. With the first few songs harkening back to his ambient days, and others sounding like modern cuts off of his previous works, the album is presented much like a mix, with a beginning, middle and an end that guides listeners through a playground of emotion, be it sadness, happiness, hope, and everything in between. It’s a movie with no visuals, as the songs tell a story both individually as well as collectively.
The first track on the album, “A Case For Shame”, showcases a display of soulful, raw vocals from Cold Specks, who projects vulnerability as she turns the song into a modern-day spiritual. Damien Jurado’s voice on “Almost Home” is emotional from the word go, with soaring synths backing the chorus that possess the power to evoke a number of emotions within the listener. An upswing in emotion occurs with “The Perfect Life”, featuring Wayne Coyne; a stark contrast from the atmospheric gloom heard in “Going Home”, “Everything That Rises” and “The Dogs”.
More of Moby’s break-beat and sampling roots are heard along with Skylar Grey’s sultry vocals in “The Last Day” while, “Tell Me” is more down-tempo. Striking another emotional chord is “The Lonely Night” featuring Mark Lanegan, whose vocals convey a sense of despair with a strong, clear voice that has the audacity to almost break with frailty.
At the album’s spectacular atmospheric conclusion, Moby leaves you bedazzled. Managing to piece together a grand soundtrack. Truly a magnificent release from the legend!
Get it now on iTunes!
TRACKLIST:
01 – Everything That Rises
02 – A Case For Shame (feat. Cold Specks)
03 – Almost Home (feat. Damien Jurado)
04 – Going Wrong
05 – The Perfect Life (feat. Wayne Coyne)
06 – The Last Day (feat. Skylar Grey)
07 – Don’t Love Me (feat. Inyang Bassey)
08 – A Long Time
09 – Saints
10 – Tell Me (feat. Cold Specks)
11 – The Lonely Night (feat. Mark Lanegan)
12 – The Dogs