Moby Chills Out on ‘Destroyed’

Remember the days of those Pure Moods albums? The “New Age” compilations were big in the mid-90s, featuring chill techno tracks by artists like Enya, Enigma, Massive Attack, Delerium and Moby. Many of the Pure Moods artists seem to only be famous thanks to the compilation’s TV spots, but Moby has made a decent name for himself in the long run.

New York City-born and Connecticut-raised, Moby gained fame in the ambient electronic scene, eventually recognized in the mainstream media in 1999 with his album Play. His ambient tracks were mostly licensed for films, but his commercial success is attributed to hit singles like “South Side,” which became a duet with Gwen Stefani for the single release. Over a decade later, Moby is still going strong, releasing his 10th studio album Destroyed on May 17.

Sticking to his roots, Destroyed is composed of ambient electronics, but this time around, Moby reportedly took a simpler approach to writing, penning some songs on acoustic guitar. Written during periods of insomnia while touring, the album began in hotels and ended in Moby’s apartment, where he completed tracks on old electronics he had lying around. The result is not as mainstream as Moby’s other works, but he does succeed in creating a nice, ambient soundscape.

Destroyed opens with “The Broken Places,” a laid back, somewhat haunting track fitting of a movie soundtrack. Similarly, “Be the One” follows with a mellow intro and electronically distorted vocals, but within a minute, some driving drum beats enter, giving the track a bit of a rock feel. “Sevastopol” is probably the first track that really stands out, however. The instrumental track is driven by dance beats and electronic strings, but the song itself has a chill club feel to it. While the openers feel a bit dark, “Sevastopol” has a slightly less dramatic mood.

Next up is “The Low Hum,” the first song with clear vocals by a female lead. The track is again beat-filled and ambient, but actual lyrics are a welcome addition to the mix. “Rockets” also features a female singer, though the beat is laid back and the lyrics are mostly an echoing loop.

Moby then takes the vocal lead on the single “The Day,” which is also one of the standout tracks. The song actually sounds similar to later David Bowie material, leaning more towards rock music than electronica. Moby even hits on a bit of a deeper subject matter, singing both about visiting a sick relative in a hospital and about friends who are addicts that find it difficult to stay clean, according to the behind the scenes video on YouTube.

“Lie Down in Darkness” follows with more sweeping electronic strings, though the music is decidedly more upbeat than the previous tracks. Sensual groove beats then begin “Victoria Lucas” as a female vocalist hums over the slow building track. Moby again is the vocalist on “After,” which thrusts the album back to interesting vocal distortions and epic electronics. Moby then adds a bit of a British new wave synth-pop feel to “Blue Moon” before dropping some chill lounge beats on “The Right Thing,” the latter featuring another female vocalist with a slight Gospel-like soul to her voice.

“Stella Maris” is perhaps the softest and most beautiful song on the entire album, however, composed of sweeping strings and angelic voices, devoid of a steady dance beat. “The Violent Bear it Away” is also a beautiful instrumental, driven by a simple piano melody and light beats. The final two tracks, “Lacrime” and “When You Are Old,” have similar feels as well, ending the album on a decidedly more orchestral note.

Overall, Destroyed fits well in a catalogue of ambient electronic music. Fans of Röyksopp or Massive Attack would enjoy the tracks, though it can feel a bit sleepy and tedious to listen to at times. Many songs have their own charm and bring different ideas to the album, but it’s probably best listened to in doses. Each track is definitely very well-composed, however, and shouldn’t be dismissed solely for the fact that the album can drag on when listened to in its entirety.

This article was originally published on AllMediaNY.com