Modern lullaby

(Morning Star, Saturday 12 March 2005)

ALBUM: Moby - Hotel
(Mute)

THE concept behind this new album is an investigation of the homogenised nature of modern life, neatly symbolised by the clinical world of the modern hotel.

Moby excels at creating evocative soundscapes and, here, his attention is focused on calling up an image of an airless space age.

Single Lift Me Up is the standout track - a pounding call to arms for a generation stupefied by satellite TV and internet chatrooms and a neat distillation of the album's manifesto.

Other standouts include the subtly distressing Spiders and a persuasive cover of New Order's Temptation.

There's nothing new here especially, but nothing tired either - as an attempt to rouse the soporific masses, it's a failure, but this album conclusively proves that no-one makes lullabies for modern lives quite like Moby.