Moby is fundamentally a composer of ambient music, proficient in the form ever since the release of 1993’s ‘Ambient’ album, which made a great deal from the smallest cells of melody, harmony and rhythm. ‘Long Ambients’ is cut from the same cloth, thought there is little to no rhythm here as this is music designed for yoga, sleep, meditation – or even the calming of panic. Moby himself swears by this music, and has made it available for free. There are eleven tracks here, all longer than 15 minutes and one as long as 35, but they are essentially timeless. Moby employs slow, broad loops that repeat with little or no variation, but they are recognisably his because of the voicing he uses, giving the first track in particular a subtle majesty. When heard in the right environment each of the pieces takes on the appearance of a ritual, with an intimacy to appeal to the private listener but a broad sound scape that can reach a bigger audience too. These pieces can subtly enhance your mental condition and are well worth the outlay – which is nothing!
FREE DOWNLOAD FROM: http://moby.com/la1/
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
