Pitchfork

It's been a while since we've heard from Moby, the bald vegan who in the 1990s became an icon-- and handy Eminem punchline-- for what was then generically referred to as techno, or, even more vaguely, "electronica". Today some people complain that Radiohead's In Rainbows business model gets talked about more often than the music, as if an innovative (sorry, Machina II fans) distribution method and a great album are mutually exclusive. While the music on Moby's 1999 commercial breakthrough, Play, hasn't aged so well, the business story--lots of licensing deals!-- presaged an era when indie-rockers like Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes could credibly say, "The idea that anyone who attempts to do anything commercial is a sellout is completely out of touch with reality." (Still, it's a good bet Moby never licensed anything to Outback Steakhouse.)

The left-wing Christian born Richard Hall returns this March with Last Night, his first album of new material since 2005's Hotel. Moby has gradually taken on a more prominent role in his own material, with radio hits like Play's "South Side" and 18's "We Are All Made of Stars" eventually giving way to Hotel's sample-free approach, but first Last Night single "Alice" returns him to the semi-anonymity of a 1990s electronica star. Guest rappers Aynzil and the 419 Crew hog the spotlight while synthesized strings, reversed drum sounds, electric guitar, and the kind of propulsive bassline that gave Play's "Bodyrock" its title make it clear this is still Moby-- sounds like his voice on the distorted chorus, too. He's certainly nowhere to be seen in the track's video, directed by Andreas Nilsson (the Knife, José González). Images of explosions, a bikini-clad woman on the beach, and the MCs themselves flash past instead, for an effect something like late-night channel surfing. One of the many ways you used to be able to find yourself hearing a Moby song.

[from Last Night; due 03/10/08 on Mute]