Ambient 23

Album review

Moby ‘saved’ his fans from the lockdown stress caused by the health crisis with his album Live Ambients Improvised Recordings, Vol. 1, in January 2021. He’s now kicked off 2023 with a new ambient album, a musical style that he’s devoted himself to over the last 30 years in parallel with his pop records. Simply entitled Ambient 23, this release was recorded, according to the artist, ‘on weird old drum machines and old synths’ and was inspired by the ‘early ambient heroes’: Brian Eno, Jean-Michel Jarre, Martyn Ware from Human League and Will Sergeant from Echo And The Bunnymen. These inspirations are evident on several of the 16 tracks on the album, with sonic drones that feel vast, aerial and lyrical. Tracks 3, 10 and 12, however, are based on solo piano, occasionally accompanied by some kind of viol, and serve as a cosy interlude before the music dives right back into the cosmos. As on his previous album, Moby’s sound harnesses the frequency of happiness and includes a touch of something almost therapeutic… Not surprising, considering this album was ‘made to help anxiety - my own, and hopefully yours, too’. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz