by Courtney Gillespie
editor Jayson Stewart

With over 20 million album sales to his credit, ambient electronic mastermind Moby has done it again with the 2011 release of his tenth studio album, Destroyed.

This album is very different from most of the newer music released today.  Today's most popular Top 40 songs have surface meaning that never delves too deeply but, if you listen to Destroyed enough and focus on the stories each song tells, you experience a strong and haunting connection to the atmosphere of each piece. Destroyed has been called a modern day opera by some critics.  New listeners might hear it a strange but mellow type of techno.

Never comfortable with his fame, Moby wrote on his website: “I don't sleep very well when i travel. and as a result, I tend to be awake in cities when everyone else is asleep. That's where this album come from. It was primarily written late at night in cities when I felt like I was the only person awake (or alive), a soundtrack for empty cities at 2 a.m, at least that's how I hear it.” 

I personally loved the album.

My favourite song, with a memorable string component, was "Stella Maris". In the background of the song, you will hear a beautiful voice singing in Latin. It was, by far, one of the best songs I have heard in a long time.

Moby has been making music since October 1991, when he made his first major breakthrough by reaching the UK top 10. He's released nine other studio albums prior to Destroyed. I have never listened to his other work, but by listening to Destroyed, I am just guessing that they are all of different varieties because even on this album there were no two songs that were alike.

My overall opinion of this album is that it was absolutely amazing. Each song, and the album in its entirety, creates an array of atmospheres and displayed beauty through the soft sounds of the string instruments layered with different sound and voice effects. Each adds an almost calming effect when you take the time to really listen to the songs. Some have a more upbeat sound but most are slower. I also really love the fact that there aren’t many lyrics so you can't get distracted from the real sound of the music. 

Though Destroyed is Moby’s lowest charting album to date, I would give this album 9.5 out of 10 because it was very different from all of the music being released today.  If you stick to one genre like pop or rock, you probably wouldn't like this album but I'm open minded and I will listen to anything if someone asks (or dares) me to.  If you are just like that then you will mostly likely enjoy the album. 

My lasting impression? You should definitely buy or just listen to this unexpected album because it is just really cool…as plain as that. Enjoy!

Visit Moby's website for more information.  

INTERESTING FACT: Moby will be contributing a song to the Spartan Youth Radio/Spartan Gay Straight Alliance co-venture documentary "A Rainbow Connection".