Moby is notorious for his ability to fuse the elements of several different styles together. His habit of throwing gospel, speed-metal, and punk rock into dance-inducing club beats, has given him a reputation as one of the most innovative electronica artists. The results of his experiments have given each of his albums its own distinctive sound.
Hotel's Disc One goes further down the path of duet-laced, new age, glam-rock, first heard in his most popular hit, "South Side," and later on 18's "We Are All Made of Stars." Fans of mellow ambient will be at home listening to the sleepy soundscapes he creates on the second disc.
For the first time in his career Moby has incorporated his voice into every song. This "ambitious" move may have subtracted more than it added. Folksy and Melancholic, Moby's voice can quickly become a lead drudge that holds back the energy of some of the songs. Though the bubble pulse of "I Like It" induces the head-bob, you can almost feel his mouth hard against the microphone whispering the chorus in your ear. I don't recommend headphones for this creepy track. Tracks like "Raining Again" bring catchy melodies but lack lyrical depth. If you've ever read any of his essays you would know that our bald, vegan friend has oodles of mind-engaging things to say. Unfortunately his shallow poetry feels simplistic and out of place on Hotel.
Despite his shortcomings on this album, I still want to lock him inside my basement with a CasioPT30 and MIDI computer.
1.5/4
Similar sounding releases
2005Sinéad O'ConnorCollaborations
1997MonacoMusic for Pleasure
1997Rebecca St. JamesChristmas
1994NewsboysGoing Public
1998Trembling Blue StarsLips That Taste of Tears
1997Michael W. SmithLive the Life
