This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Richard (Moby) Hall knew what he was doing when he filched his nom du disque from great-grandpa Herman Melville.
Over the years, the electronica whiz kid has produced one sprawling whale of a disc after another, each as elusive to define as the next. His latest, Play, is yet another ambitious undertaking. Bridging genres, styles and eras with ease, Moby samples Alan Lomax’s classic field recordings — the original samples, in a way — then playfully sets these primal blues to thumping techno, Beckish groove-folk and bayou-gumbo piano. Gradually, he takes over the vocals for some soulful ballads, only to fade out and end the disc with a series of majestic, New Agey instrumentals. The performers come and go, but music, he seems to suggest, is eternal and timeless, taking us toward peace and tranquility. All you have to do is play it.
