Moby – Play

Moby – Play

Released in 1999, Play is Moby's fifth studio album and one of the defining electronic records of the late 1990s. The album brought together downtempo electronica, ambient techno, breakbeat, blues, gospel and alternative pop, creating a distinctive sound that connected electronic production with samples of traditional American music. Originally released in May/June 1999, Play went on to become Moby's breakthrough album and reached No.1 in the UK.

Much of the album's character comes from Moby's use of archival blues and gospel recordings, including material associated with the field-recording work of Alan Lomax. "Honey", "Find My Baby" and "Natural Blues" place these historic vocal samples over contemporary electronic beats, while "Porcelain" and "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?" showcase the more melodic and melancholic side of the album. The result is a striking meeting of early American roots music and late-1990s electronic production.

The album produced a remarkable run of recognisable tracks, including "Honey", "Porcelain", "South Side", "Bodyrock", "Natural Blues" and "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?". "Run On" draws further on gospel material, while "Everloving", "Inside", "The Sky Is Broken" and the closing "My Weakness" move into more atmospheric and ambient territory. This mixture of club-oriented beats, sampled vocals, piano, strings and Moby's own understated singing gives Play a broad appeal across electronic, alternative and pop audiences.

The recordings were made during the late 1990s, with the album originally released in 1999 on Mute/V2. The standard 18-track programme runs for around an hour and demonstrates the range of Moby's production style, from breakbeat and techno-influenced tracks to quiet instrumental passages. Play subsequently became one of the most commercially successful electronic albums of its era, with its music also appearing extensively in advertising, film and television.

Tracklist

1. Honey – 3:28
2. Find My Baby – 3:59
3. Porcelain – 4:01
4. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? – 4:24
5. South Side – 3:49
6. Rushing – 3:00
7. Bodyrock – 3:36
8. Natural Blues – 4:13
9. Machete – 3:37
10. 7 – 1:02
11. Run On – 3:45
12. Down Slow – 1:34
13. If Things Were Perfect – 4:18
14. Everloving – 3:25
15. Inside – 4:48
16. Guitar Flute & String – 2:09
17. The Sky Is Broken – 4:18
18. My Weakness – 3:37