Insight into artist's lonely life

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YP intern Christopher Wang
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YP intern Christopher Wang |
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Electronic artist Moby has released his 10th studio album, Destroyed, along with a companion book of his own photography. Both aim to capture the loneliness of a life on tour, and both do so masterfully.

His newest work focuses more on a solitary cloud of electronica, steering away from the club beats that were so prominent in his earlier work. Still, the sound is decidedly Moby: Destroyed is the isolation and synthesis of orchestra and electronica by someone who does it best.

First single The Day is a perfect blend of sad lyrics with an irresistibly hopeful beat. Moby's desolating vocals mesh perfectly with the essence of the song - but they start to irritate after a while.

This album definitely isn't for everyone. Stella Morris is a five-minute exercise in string synths. With a distinct lack of percussion in the track, Moby pushes the boundaries. The end-product is beautiful, but ultimately tedious.

Destroyed works best if you think of the whole album as a single work - individually, tracks seem sparse and unfocused. As a work, the album allows the listener to pick up on the subtleties of an overarching theme.

Destroyed is a fair condensation of a career that spans more than a quarter-century, and does justice to an artist known for experimenting. It's not Moby's best work, but it's a decent addition to his oeuvre.

YP Rating: 4/5

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