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At the center of every album is a musical thesis. This thesis can be the driving force behind the album, a theme that interweaves songs together, or a feeling you are left with after the very last song plays. With some albums, the thesis is easy to find. On others, it is hidden and requires you to be more than a passive listener. These reviews are not about rating an album. Instead, it is about uncovering a musical thesis.
For 20 years now, I have been digesting the music of Moby. In that time, he has become one of those artists whose music gets added to my collection with each new release without question. Since Play and 18, I have spent considerable time lost in his lyrics and music. I have found myself lost deep within the recesses of my mind, filling electronic and ambient sounds with meaning. His songs often provide a moment of mediation for me in a noisy world.
When I look back on the last twenty years, no collection of Moby’s songs has hit me like Everything Was Beautiful, And Nothing Hurt. This is his most emotionally gripping and complex collection of songs to date. In these lyrics, I see a man reflecting upon the times in which we find ourselves. His assessment of this moment is part cautionary tale, part warning sign. The tone seems to match the angst, sadness, and loss we are collectively feeling. The album does not offer a way out of our current state. This is more than fine by me. Sometimes, we just need to know we are not alone in our current situation. Solutions will come at some other time. For now, let’s be in this moment and be okay with feeling the way we do.
If you easily write off electronic, dance, or techno music as mere repetition, I implore you to reconsider. I recommend rediscovering the genre with an album such as this. As you do, pay close attention to how this album makes you feel. Allow thoughts to come and go. Use the lyrics as prompts and consider the picture they are painting. Rest on the repetition as moments of emphasis. Even songs without words are trying to paint a picture, but they are inviting you to fill in the details. Very few forms of music give you this much freedom. For me, this album does all this and more. I am confident it will do the same for you.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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