Richard “Moby” Hall has sold more records than anybody from the late 80s dance music revolution since his success began with Go’s stunning homage to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Now, nearly 20 years later, the director has inspired Moby again, with his speech at the BAFTA Awards stressing how commercial demands shouldn’t diminish personal creativity. This prompted Moby to retreat to his New York home studio to determinedly record a highly-personal statement intended to be listened to as a whole, even starting his own record label to release it. The single, Shot In The Back Of The Head, has already appeared on Moby’s website, complete with Lynch-directed video.
After the euphoric club peaks of Last Night, Moby has returned to gorgeous downtempo strings and melancholic synths, topped with vocals from friends on tracks such as the reflective, femalesung Jtlf, though the heartgripping Walk With Me builds on a cracked gospel vocal, while Study War samples a fiery preacher. Paradoxically, in making such an intimate album with no regard for chart success, Moby has produced his most accessible work since Play. All it needs is a good commercial, but that wouldn’t be the point when Moby sounds like he’s made his own dream soundtrack.
