Moby launched Always Centered at Night as a digital imprint in 2022, aiming to collaborate with lesser-known vocalists he admires, in order to create music without commercial expectations. He wants the projects output to be the type of music people discover on their own, preferring a small but passionate audience to the sort of cultural ubiquity Play had decades earlier. Several singles culminated in the 2024 release of the full-length Always Centered at Night, issued by Mobys longtime home Mute. Considering that Moby has released defiantly non-commercial music such as his long-form ambient/drone works (like the stellar Long Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep.) and the minimalist techno 12"s of his short-lived side label Trophy Records, Always Centered at Night actually sounds much closer to his pop-minded albums, except that he doesnt sing any of the songs. (Nothing against Mobys own voice, but the guest vocalists are welcome, considering that they all sound much better than him.) The title nods to his longstanding passion for club culture, and while this is certainly an electronic album, with hardly any obvious rock influences, its not strictly made up of dance tracks, either. Stirring opener "on air" features serpentwithfeet, an ideal match for the songs drifting beat, rhythmic handclaps, and haunting vocal samples. Several other songs showcase bluesy, gospel-inspired vocals, often over tasteful disco/house grooves, with highlights including the crackling, slightly psychedelic "wild flame" (featuring Danae Wellington), the yearning deep house of "feelings come undone" (with Raquel Rodriguez), and the slow-burning boogie of "should sleep" (featuring JP Bimeni). Two tracks surprisingly dip into drumnbass rhythms, a genre Moby has only occasionally touched in the past, and usually on obscure B-sides. The socially conscious but not explicitly political "where is your pride?" features one of the final performances by revolutionary dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah (like Moby, a longtime vegan and animal rights activist), while the tense "medusa" features returning collaborator Aynzli Jones. Gaidaa contributes the lovely trip-hop cut "transit," and the intoxicating "fall back" (featuring Akemi Fox) deserves mention as well. Jose James, easily the albums most famous guest star, closes the record with "ache for," a Nat King Cole-style jazz ballad that soars with emotional intensity. For an album that spans multiple styles and features a different guest vocalist on every song, Always Centered at Night is consistently passionate and spiritual. ~ Paul Simpson

Rovi