Play

Good then. Great now

Great album, every other track was a

It was great to revisit this album with a fresh perspective and listening experience. Love the singles that blend old blues singing with electronic beats and sounds, mixed in so well, then the second half of the record in an introspective manner. You feel full and contemplative with ambient sounds that bring the record to a soft end. So so good.

Very solid album electro pop and blues upbeat with introspective lyrics. Very enjoyable.

Solid

I played it in the car, obviously I know all the tracks as it was played to death back in the day, so I give 3 stars. My family love it though so I’ll give it 4 as it really made them happy. I’d not be bothered if I never hear it again honestly.

Tous ses tubes

Great but not even my second favorite Moby album…

The album is peak late 90s and early 2000s pop music, the first half of the album has a more sample-based 90s boombap, and the second half of the album has a more contemporary vibe to it

Esta muy bien.

Favorite Track: Machete

I think I'm going to give this one 4 stars. I like it.

Futurista para la época. Me gustó bastante.

I really liked the album. It redefined a whole era.

Pretty dope

An old standard. Very good.

Torn on this one. I think I loved it back in the 90s, but am so tired of the songs now. Talking with Brian K about it gave it another star for me.

Abso fucking lutely genius!

Better than Coldplay

I have two different reasons why I find this album to be nostalgic: On one hand, my father was the person who introduced me to this record when I was a kid. As many other people, he witnessed the boom this album made when it was released and he even bought it on iTunes. Remembering playing the first fourth songs repeatedly in his red iPod is a warm sensation. On the other hand, a more darker memory. Back when I was a child I had a dark period when I lived afraid of everything, as a result of the exposure to the Internet. I can clearly recall watching a particular Youtuber talking about obscure films like "Salo" or "A Serbian Movie" with some other terrible incidents or any type of shocking media. Fortunately, I can say that I've never being in direct contact with these traumatic experiences, but with the combination of the guy being a great narrator and me being a very impressionable kid, it was a recipe for disaster. What has to do anything of this with Moby? In one occasion, I remember hearing the song "Natural Blues", and somehow I associated this very uncomfortable feeling to this song. Luckily, I am now relieved from this burden and I can appreciate finally appreciate it. Either way, I should talk about the album, which is a great Downtempo record with some very beautiful and atmospheric moments that is mainly based on sampling US roots music. The record starts incredibly strong, with the two very fun and lively "Honey" and "Find My Baby". Then comes "Porcelain", the biggest track of the album, an incredibly beautiful and ethereal cut thanks to the wonderful samples and piano. Coming afterwards is also on of the biggest moments, "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?", a very very sad, melancholic and emotional tune with its very mellow voice performance. However, the sadness doesn't last long as "South Side" is a silly and happy sounding song. Maybe not the most memorable one, but it is fun to listen to. Following is "Rushing", which brings the mood down again thanks to its slow pace accompanied with beautiful and atmospheric beats and piano. But once again, "Bodyrock" returns the energy with its upbeat vocals and rock guitars. Then there is "Natural Blues, another pretty moment with a very upbeat sounding piano. I also find funny that a particular sample used in here sounds to me like SpongeBob's laughing. Next is "Machete" the most Big Beat influenced moment of the album that also incorporates some smooth vocals to bring its own personality, even though they get progressively more energetic and end up with some shouts. After the weird interlude "7" comes "Run On" a very cute and happy song. From this point and moving forwards, the album consists only on very minimalist and more ambient directed songs. It may not have the strongest or most memorable material, but there is undoubtedly some very beautiful moments, like the very beautiful "Everloving", the incredibly immersive "Inside" and the melancholic "My Weakness". In general, this is an incredibly pleasant experience with a great range of emotions. I'm also glad that this list made me do a review of this album.

Good

Haunting, evocative album. Classic.

Who says techno's dead?

Godt elektronisk

The loops are a bit repetitive at times but I don’t mind this.

literally entertained through two flights, suprisingly pretty fucking sick w it

Yep, still slaps.

Did not expect to like this one as much as I did. Very clever sampling and I loved the use of classic instruments. Lots of hits and very few stinkers. I am impressed Mr Moby. 7/10

HOLES?! Lol This album is so 1999. The nostalgia is real. It sounds like how I imagined my adult life to be. Great soundtrack music. If Sinners was made in the early 2000s this guy woulda done the score. I also wonder if Beyoncé has heard this. Probably lol. I can see some commonalities between this and Renaissance and Cowboy Carter. Fave tracks: Honey, If things were perfect, Princess.

I must say I am not looking forward to this, the man infamously dragged by Eminem. Wait. Is he just... sampling people and putting it over electronic music? Stop. Oh. Not just people. Black blues artists. Cool cool cool cool cool. Porcelain: thats his singing and he wrote it. More acceptable. Apparently ASAP Rocky sampled it in "Forever." Ah. We are back to sampling. Idk if I can continue this lol. This isn't for me. Especially not 2 hours of this.

One of Moby's albatrosses is that he was one of the first big successes in EDM. His early stuff is repetitive and sounds dated in context, but at the time it was pretty new. He'd always had a knack for creating infectious hooks and riffs, but he usually looped them over and over until you were bored to madness. That tendency is diluted here mostly, partially because most of the songs are under 4 minutes, but also because the use of more traditional instrumentation and sounds make it more appealing to a bigger chunk of music lovers. This helped Play become his biggest success. Unfortunately, part of the result is that some of it turns into a slightly watered-down adult-contemporary-flavored Moby. After his previous albums, this record seems like more of an effort to be accessible to pop fans - it's a collection of electronic, dance, pop or blues-techno mashup tunes and it mostly works. It's a pretty good set, very listenable and consistent although the tempo and quality wane toward the end. The big singles are Porcelain and South Side, but there were six more tracks released out of 18 from this album, and many were used in multiple movies and ads, so it was pretty huge at the time.

Vilka minnen! Jag hade nästan glömt av denna och hur stor den blev när den kom. Jag tycker inte den är lika bra som jag minns den från då, men absolut bra! Kul att bli påmind och det är svårt att inte bli nostalgisk!

Es un buen álbum. Creo que el único de Moby que pude escuchar completo.

Solid electronica. Enjoyed but can't say it changed my life

Very inventive sound throughout, but it doesn't feel like there's much on the bone in each song

A great album to do work on. Just the right balance between upbeat and relaxing to keep you on your flow.

I actually really did like it. I have never listened to Moby before so I think I was immune to a lot of the criticism that this album was too commercial. I think if I played this in the background at a party it would be cool. Favorites were natural blues and why does my heart feel so bad

I really enjoyed this! A few songs I would definitely listen to again, and the rest made for really nice background while I was working.

Chill. Good for background and getting things done. Didn’t know he made “South Side” or “Natural Blues.” Classic tracks. Pleasantly surprised.

When did Moby become so irritating and lame?? Was it before or after this groundbreaking amazing album? The sound of this record is so extremely reminiscent of its time. It’s cool, it feels somehow optimistic even on the slower - or perhaps “sadder” - tracks. And it is cool. The opening track features on the Holes soundtrack, I was contemplating how good that films soundtrack is on my way to work yesterday. Porcelain features on numerous adverts for cars, life insurance, it’s on films - it’s everywhere. This album is without doubt influential and, although reminiscent of a very specific time in history, timeless. 4.5/5.0 Best Song: Run On

A genre defining album, with some huge tracks on it. Very easy listening and chilled out music, you could put this album on anywhere and 9/10 times people love it. Sometimes it is a bit too chill and gets a bit slow and boring but that is the nature of this kind of music somtimes. Best Track: Porcelain

Listened to this back-to-back before as a classique but it ws fun to revisit to see what I thought of each one. Honey is always gold. Find My Baby - again: gold. Porcelain - always a nice relaxing interlude after the first two. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad - a real epic feel to this one, especially with the key change in the 'bridge' (hard to categorise song sections in this case). South Side - love that the beginning sounds like The Wire intro, but other than that this is a pretty cheesy one. Rushing - pretty dull. But pretty AND dull! Bodyrock - very fun and nostalgic; WHAT an early 2000s sound! Natural Blues - real epic feel to this one too. Machete - YES BACK TO THE CLUBBBBBBBB! 7 - love the dark drums in this. Down Slow - pretty dull (but NOT pretty). Run On - don't remember this one. It's pretty good. Backing sounds similar to Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad. If Things Were Perfect - cool surreal feeling to this one. Everloving, Inside, and Guitar Flute & String - pretty! But pretty dull TOO. The Sky Is Broken - sexy. My Weakness - a nice dreamy closer.

I mean this is flow state that has been put on record. Gorgeous, unbelievable production. I mean this is absolutely grotesque. It feels like if cocaine wasn't exspensive. Good for focus, experimental of course but its focused.

transcendant and joyful

Surprised by a couple of these tracks I’d never heard and really liked them. Overall a good listen.

7/10

⭐⭐⭐⭐ En nittiotals klassiker! Det är svängigt och jämnt, ett atmosfärisk album man kan sätta på och lyssna på sin helhet utan att uppleva att det är spår som stör helheten. Man kan ha åsikter att Moby lever på vad andras insatser med alla samplingar men att hitta rätt och göra det på detta sättet kräver en viss form av talang. Bäst är Find My Baby, Why does my feel so bad, Natural blues. Gillar också Machete som avviker som ett lite tyngre. spår. Velar om jag ska sätta en femma eller fyra. Jämnheten gör att jag vill sätta en 5a men samtidigt kanske det inte riktigt finns de där spåren som jag verkligen älskar. Så det blir en 4a.

If the album had ended with Natural Blues, it would have been a 10/10 album. If it had been 20 minutes shorter, it would still be a 5 star album. Instead, Moby let it drag on for too long, so when the soothing, final track, which should have been a nice and relaxing end to an impeccable album, rang its final tones, I was relieved rather than pleased. Still, the opening half is so strong that 4 stars are warranted

Blues meets electronica. Great album.

• This is such a different style to music than I typically listen to, but this opening track makes a surprisingly good first impression • The blues were really prominent in Honey, but Find My Baby ramps it up • I really like the chord progression in Porcelain • South Side is a really nice song, very different to the rest of the album so far • I definitely enjoy the songs with full lyrics over the ones built around one sampled line more. Run On is another cool song, it reminds me a bit of Cat Empire. • Everloving is a very good instrumental, I really like the synth that comes in around the 2:05 mark • Everloving -> Inside -> Guitar Flute & String was a great stretch of instrumental songs, all three were good I enjoyed this album a lot more than I expected. The samples were all used well, the instrumentals somehow avoided becoming repetitive and the original vocals for some of the tracks were great. The songs that had complete lyrics definitely connected with me more than the ones that primarily used sampled vocals, but those sampled songs were still really good Favourite song: South Side

This might be hard for some to hear but this album was kind of a disappointment for me. See going into this album I knew porcelain, and that song by it self is an all time great song. It’s beautiful while also kinda being silly and lighthearted but also nostalgic even if you have never heard it before and it sound safe and clean. Honestly porcelain might be one of my favorite songs of all time. But that’s where the disappointment comes in cause nothing and I mean nothing on this album comes close to the greatness that is porcelain. I really enjoyed most of the tracks and I even listened to and loved the deluxe version with tons of extra songs. But there were songs that didn’t do anything for me and there were songs that grew on me and I ended up liking more over time. Some of the stand out tracks in the shadow of porcelain are “South side”, “honey”, “natural blues”, and “run on”. But as a whole it wasn’t the absolute perfect work of art I thought it was going to be, it was an imperfect work of art that I know I’ll enjoy more and more over the years but as of right now, it’s got some skips and nothing can touch the perfection of porcelain.

Already listened to this album it’s epic

I remember this album taking a while to gain traction, which I noticed with surprise as a Moby fan. Thanks to brilliant post-release marketing via usage of tracks in commericals it exploded and became the massive crossover electronic smash we all know and love. Its blend of downtempo beats and traditional roots style samples make this one of the most accessible albums in electronic music for the uninitiated.

Play is an interesting album. The first half builds you up and gets you hooked while the second half is more downbeat and slower paced. Not necessarily bad, but I feel like it’s an album you have to be in the mood for. Album sleeve 10/10z if I could I’d give it 3.5 stars

Taking electronica into the mainstream

I'd forgotten how good this album is. Love the combination of electronic and soul/gospel. Starts to feel a bit samey by the end though.

It starts really good, could have trimmed the ending Will I listen to again: 90%

Solid flow! ★★★★

Very nostalgic, overplayed at the time but on re listen it’s a very good album. Actually more breadth than I remembered some tracks to me sounded a little “Massive Attacky” and the singles are good when you haven’t been bombarded by then on ever advert. 3.9

This is a classic

An awful person by all accounts and some of the sounds could be made on a school keyboard (piano with strings)… But the dude knows his way round a sample and crafts some really good songs out of them. There is also good variety, change of pace and mood that keeps it from getting boring.

Play seems to get a lot of flak for the ubiquity of the songs. It’s well documented about the use of the tracks in adverts and other media but I do quite like it as a journey. There are some weak tracks on here (‘south side’, ‘machete’) where the energy levels don’t seem to match the rest of the vibe - it seems to work better when more of a ‘chillout’ album. Been a long time since I last listened to it and I don’t think it has aged badly.

This album surprises in the best possible way!

Talk about a library of killer electronic tracks. Something for everyone in here, definitely recognized a few. A great thing to put on when you're getting stuff done, chores and outdoor work. Thoroughly enjoyed, Porcelin probably my favorite. 4/5!

Lots of variety, great album.

Still stands up after all this time. A great album full of tunes that you know.

Huge reminder of a simpler time in my life, some absolute hits I still really enjoyed, while still chilling and grooving to the rest, even went into the B side and kept on enjoying

3.8

I really like the fusion of Blues and Electronica. Very Enjoyable album. It does lose a little steam a bit more than halfway through though.

Thank you! Love this album!!!

solid 3.5

endlich mal musik zum hören! dann via bio in spotify auf „Long Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep.“ gestossen .. soundscapes!

Fun journey through electronic inspirations

I was surprised by the publishing date for this album (1999), as I feel like he was known to me in the mid-90s, maybe for his production work and remixes. I was never really a fan because I’m not into “electronic” music, but there’s no question that Moby (and others) brought it mainstream without corrupting the genre … at least to me. I think if you’re compiling a top 25 list of albums from the 90s, this has to be there.

Again A Banger Album! Didn't even get bored out of it . Will be on my " on loop " playlist for real

One of the albums I listened to when I was first getting into music, so has a nostalgic bent to it.

started off a bit weak for my liking but i found myself getting increasingly more moved by the production, choice of samples, atmosphere, and genuine authenticity woven throughout! electronic music truly is such a gift im so glad ive grown to appreciate it as a genre both sonically and historically

Very chill, very nice. Really starting to appreciate these calmer albums that are successful in owning their desire to do what is needed, but nothing more.

Electronic, viele bekannte Lieder auch aus the Beach und Werbung, Jahrtausendwende

A classic post-college album for me. Read Moby's biography later and that colors how I see the guy now, but this record is quite a time capsule.

I remember all the hit singles from this, but didn't listen to the whole album when this was released. Listening to it now, it sounds really fresh, and timeless even.

After too many terrible albums on this list, this one was a very welcome change. Once again, I realized I had never listened to this album as a whole before. Still, all the songs were familiar and instantly recognizable. I really liked it.

👍 not really my vibe but full of great vocal samples and some very pleasing piano work

4.0 stars this album, in my world, was HUGE, when it was released. probably a byproduct of where I was in my life but I remember this album differently that what I experienced this time around. still enjoyed it nonetheless. but I think I enjoyed the more ambient tunes than the hits. Favorite song: Natural Blues

I enjoyed listening to this following a hiatus of around two decades. It was the singles that were most imprinted in my mind, but I also found myself more enamoured with the slower sometimes acoustic driven tracks, though these did somewhat drag towards the end of the album and left me questioning whether I wanted to give it a three or a four. I’m feeling generous as I’m reviewing this on a Friday.

Play: the complete recordings Artist: Moby Album: Play First spin mood: ughhhhh (a good ugh) felt that funky beat. I instantly reacted with the famous stank face because that is not at all what I expected. I enjoy the mixing but would have liked a bit more diversity in that first couple songs. Nonetheless, I can see why this would be included in this. Side note, I see this album as having great potential to be sampled as well. I actually don’t know if this is related whatsoever but I was reminded of how I met your mother New Year’s Eve episode and funny enough it’s New Year’s Eve today as I write this. Anyways there is a moby that they find and he’s a musician so I wonder if this is who it’s suppose to be lol will confirm later. The album goes through many phases starts off really high energy pumped up vibes then gradually decreases into a chill slow atmosphere. I enjoyed it very much!! What it stirred in me: DANCE, movement, want to get jiggy One lyric or sound that stayed with me: some people go to church just to set up a date with the neighbors wife Where I was What I felt

Hard to describe some of these tracks as 'songs' - they're more like soundscapes to me. Really good at that, though. Faves: Porcelain, Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad, Bodyrock, Natural Blues

I remember listening to Porcelain a lot as a kid. This is a good album. It's quite long, but diverse.

The first half of the album has some of the highlight tracks of Moby. In sum this album is a mixed bag, but it containes at least three blues-y ones i'm giving most of the vote for. I simply like them. It is an acquired taste, and that taste can be very repetitive, but in some ways still enjoyable.

Ngl I like this so much I wish I discovered this earlier

I loved everything. Nothing to add; it was a nice discovery.

Long album, and many of the songs were one idea repeated with little variation. I like the ideas and style though, so there were a lot of song I saved. Don’t know if I would put on the album just to listen to, with my artificial short attention span and all, but would enjoy as movie soundtrack or supermarket music. Sounds like modern video game music, from more than a quarter century ago which is crazy.

In 1999, I was just 25 years old, and this album accompanied me as one of the soundtracks of my party life in those days, along with Underworld and Leftfield. I haven't played this record for years, and I'm surprised it still sounds refreshing after all those years. On top of that, it was a pleasant nostalgic revisit, bringing back all those sweet memories of the rave scene in the '90s. 4/5

I already knew and loved this. I think it holds up, but I'm less comfortable these days with a white artist making millions off samples of Black artists...

best song: why does my heart feel so bad? worst song: 7 surprise song: the sky is broken

#215/1001. This is kind of 2 albums in one. Gospel- and blues-sample based triphop/breakbeat/groove party album and ambient electronica. On their own they both are great, and I've sure made people dance with Honey, but what does 5+4 make? I think listening now with some years in between since I've listened to this as a whole, it does sound a bit more like a product of its time than an ageless classic.

Such a good album. Really holds up. It was revolutionary then.

Good music to work with

Some of the beginning tracks were a little repetitive but otherwise good album. Solid 3.5 if I could.

Sampled music like that of this album can get annoyingly repetitive, but Moby does it with enough tact as to make it quite enjoyable. 8/10

Classic album for me. Downtempo electronic at its best. Not a bad song on the album and several standouts.

Pretty amazing. Slightly appropriative.

Notable tracks include Honey, Porcelain, Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad, South Side, Bodyrock, Natural Blues, Run On, Everloving, Flower, Memory Gospel. Kind of electronic pop/rock album. Lot of ambient sounds, lot of refrain based lyrical presentation. Solid album.

Sounds very 2000s. Porcelain was my favorite song on the album. In high school I thought my dentist was an A$AP Rocky fan because he used to play Porcelain in the office. The songs after Run On were kind of boring. Low 4.

I listened to this on the plane while reading, it was fun. There’s an episode of how I met ur mother w moby and I think it was pretty funny so bonus points for moby for that.

This was entertaining. A little long though

Did I actually like this? It must have caught my on the right day!

Excellent album, not listened to it for a wee while

Such a groove!

Les 1ere track en particulier j'ai trouvé ça groovait beaucoup, très plaisant. Beaucoup de clins d'oeil blues.

This was the album I didn’t know I needed yesterday morning at work. Just a smooth, easy listen that set the vibe right away. Run On was a fun surprise. I didn’t expect a remix of God’s Gonna Cut You Down, but it totally worked. And I immediately recognized Flower from Gone in Sixty Seconds, which gave me a nice little nostalgia hit. Some of the slower instrumentals cracked me up because tracks like Rushing sound exactly like the background music for a soft core scene on the Playboy Channel in the 90s. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Overall, super mellow, super listenable, and way better than I expected. Favorite song: Flower

Bristol really is an interesting city. It made probably the best electronic genre out there. That's also the only thing Bristol is known for. Anyways, somehow the Bristol sound made its way to the US and gave Moby inspiration to make this album. Good thing it did, this was great. Really made an hour go by pretty quickly. Don't ask Moby fans about his memoir about Natalie Portman, though.

Loved the mix of folk/blues throughout the album

I agree with Moby’s own assessment of the album: “It starts off energetic and by the end dissolves into a opiated haze.” [Of course that was intentional on his part.] The music is unique in that it takes gospel, southern, and folk music and overlays it with electronica. Almost all the tracks are enjoyable. This CD is in our collection.

i reeeeaaally felt the vibe here

I note a lot of reviews calling this generic or otherwise bland, and I'm just not sure I heard the same album as you did to come to this conclusion? I'd daresay this album is bland and isn't insanely adventurous... if not for songs like Porcelain which absolutely have that certain (FRENCH WARNING) "je ne ce quoi", that vibe that just feels right and unique and scratch that certain musical itch. I might be blessed to have been born in 2000 so I didn't hear any of these songs over a hundred thousand commercials, but you know what I heard these days in every third commercial? The Beatles, and I certainly don't plan on saying they're bad because I've heard them too much. Ultimately the decision to license the whole album is pretty genius considering the description of this album's popularity was "a critical success and a commercial phenomenon", I'd certainly do the same thing and I know you would too. If I were to have one criticism it'd be that the album is a touch long, it does enough that's different that I can distinctly select between songs and I appreciate that at times this "electronica" album would just throw out a totally piano focused song or focus around loops of guitar and bass. But I think maybe three songs less would make the album far more digestible for single session listens, absolutely no criticism on the quality of the songs themselves. So, here's the strange take that might throw you. I don't think every album has to be trying to "raise the bar", I think an album can do something and do it well and that something doesn't have to be new or revolutionary but that doesn't make this album any less of an enjoyable listen despite some of my favourite albums and some of my most recent admirations of albums on this list being about new styles and sounds. It won't compare to some of the more sprawling or intense sounding albums but it's absolutely an album worth listening to. Best songs: Porcelain & Why Does my Heart Feel So Bad Worst song: N/A Rank compared to everything else so far: 8/14 (above Ellington at Newport below Heavy Weather) I had to actually MAKE the list for this one so my actual rankings are being written down. If every curious just hit me up.

Great

I love the vibes! A couple got added to my regular playlists

Älskar den här skivan, stämningsfullt mys rakt igenom. Mtv-nostalgi för en 90-talist, man minns varenda video i detalj. ”Natural blues” var en av de läskigaste låtarna från min barndom på grund av videon, där Moby sitter på ett smutsigt ålderdomshem och drömmer sig tillbaka framför en tv som visar en ung, men redan skallig, Moby hoppa studsmatta o ha det gött, för att i slutet bli buren mot himlen av en ängel spelad av Christina ricci. ”Bodyrock” är lika mycket FIFA som song 2 med blur. Gåshud. Tappar lite andra halvan. Känns fräckt att kalla det här albumet ”lite för långt” en dag efter white album, men det är så jag känner.

Genere: Musica Elettronica, Blues Anno: 1999

I really liked it - first time listening to this artist.

repetitive but such a unique sound I sometimes can't get enough of

Thought I'd be a bit annoyed by this one as I'm a bit annoyed in general by Moby. Full album had much more than just the well trodden songs

quite a mix of stuff, he's seemingly just a great creative person with a lot of influences, there's some more 'rock' oriented songs but the majority is sample-based stuff, which I suppose can get quite boring as its usually just a looped bit, but I think that its done really well in most places. In the same way as artists like Air its kind of hard to pin this down into a certain genre box, its kind of just music. The bits of his vocals are quite good, I'm surprised he doesn't sing more. There's quite a few spoken word bits on here as well, which are interesting. I also sort of wish it was a bit shorter, as over an hour feels like it drags on a bit. Not too much else to say, some of the samples are great, and the blues thing is quite an interesting influence. Favourite songs: honey, porcelain, south side, bodyrock, machete, everloving, inside, guitar flute & string, my weakness. Overall around 7/10

Guess I'm a Moby fan now

3.8-4.0

A beautiful dance / electronic album. Has a little rocky start but as soon as Porcelain hits. Wow. Spectacular stuff. Sampling is nice and very tastefully used with great synths and strings. What isn’t there to like?

This review might make some people feel old, but my dad used to play this album in the car when I was a kid, and man, it still holds up great to this day. Apart from the first two tracks, which are a great disappointment, each track is special and is produced very well. Great stuff.

First album in a while that I already know and like. Haven't listened to in its entirety in a long time though - here we go. I love these roots and blues samples. The piano in Porcelain.. ugh so beautiful. I always forget South Side is on this album. Bummer the studio version doesn't include the Gwen Stefani feature, she is probably why I loved that song growing up. Natural Blues another classic Album gets a little sleepy toward the end. Great album that I'll continue to return to for years to come. The piano is what really makes it special I think. 4.1/5

My youth

LOVE this album. It's a great late 90's release, and that's saying something cause the 90's kinda blew. This is a mix of old meets new, creativity abound, grooves you can chill to or dance to, it's unique, catchy and was the perfect release at that time. "Honey" (73M listens), "Find My Baby" (20M), "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad" (153M) & " Natural Blues" (185M), & "Run On" (31M) all use older recordings while Moby adds beats, guitars, percussion & energy to create entirely new songs. Throw in radio songs, "Porcelain" (361M) and "Southside (30M, #14 on Billboard), "Bodyrock" (30M), all more in the Moby electronica vibe, and you have a really solid album that captures the vibe of the time. The weakest song on the album has over 6M listens, this one stands up and still gets listened to on Spotify and the radio. The numbers don't lie. Hit album for has-been, huge payday on low expectations. Holds up well, IMO, today, doesn't sound dated for the most part 25 yrs later. The first 8 tracks (plus "Run On") make the album, the rest ("Machete", "7", "Slow Down") is average stuff but "Everloving" is a gorgeous song. The B-Side, "Flower" should have been included, but was added to the updated release with other cutting room tracks. I'd give this a solid 4.2 out of 5.

I still like this, but I don't (and probably never did) find it hugely exciting. My favourite Moby tracks aren't on here - Extreme Ways, and We Are All Made Of Stars. But it's still enjoyable, has some good beats and is quite clever. He's also a nice chap, it would seem.

Damn, I really didn’t think I would like this, but it was fucking great. I perceive Moby as very pretentious and I guess I am too?

first listen super sick

Not sure how I missed this during my university days. Decent music, but I guess I am missing the nostalgia factors others have.

Great album

3.5/5

I think like 90% of assumptions and dislike toward vegans comes solely from Moby. I know he’s become uncool but I still like him. The dude is kinda weird and very much in his own lane, but he’s still entertaining to me even when he’s annoying. Play is a pretty fun and interesting album too. I have no affinity toward whatever techno scene so him “selling out” means nothing to me. I can just enjoy the music for what it is

Listening to this while in public transport is like being the main character in a badass film with a killer soundtrack

Moby's shining moment of genius - at the time this was a game changer album, his sampling and re-use of old cotton picking songs and hymns; almost every track was used in a commercial of some sort as well. I played it so much I had to get another copy. This record is 26yrs old already!? Love it 4.5

Loved this album unironically when it came out. I knew it was uncool but didn’t care, it was fun as hell and it still is.

02/11/2025 Good, solid album. Spotify listeners: 7.8 million

Biggest electronica of all time South side Natural blues

Enjoyed this way more than expected. Some classics on here

Good album this

While Moby may overuse his gimmick of finding old samples of soulful vocals, I do think this album holds up quite well. I really enjoy the classic hits from the album like Honey and South Side, while also finding joy in some of the softer passages. I thought most of the songs had a good amount of depth to them and liked the layered instrumentation throughout. That said, there were a number of forgettable tracks in the mix as well. I'm not big into the electronic music scene, but it does seem this album continues to have a large influence on this style of music. Also, I somehow didn't realize (or forgot) that South Side is a Moby track! 3.5 -> 4

Excellent just for a lot of the sample choice alone, highlighting some great blues classics.

I'll be honest, I was not enthused to have another electronica/ambient album after yesterday's. But I guess... I actually like Moby ... and actually enjoyed this. I'm not sure that this is an album that will make its way into my normal rotation. But if I need a background track for something where I don't want the focus to be on the music, I know what I'm picking. 3.5 stars rounding up to 4 stars.

I hadn’t intentionally listened to this album in nearly 25 years, but the moment I hit “PLAY,” I was instantly transported back to 1999. It made me wonder why Moby hasn’t released anything even remotely as significant since. Revisiting it reminded me how much I miss his contributions to pop and electronica. His reimagining of the James Bond Theme remains iconic, but for me, Moby’s most powerful impact came through 'New Dawn Fades' and 'God Moving Over the Face of the Waters'—two tracks Michael Mann used so effectively in his epic crime film 'Heat.' Those pieces are so evocative that the film would feel entirely different without them. What surprised me most, though, was how this album didn’t grate on my nerves like I expected it to after decades of distance. You couldn’t go anywhere in the early 2000s without hearing something from it, and Moby’s ability to sample such a wide range of genres—yet make it all sound distinctly his own—is exactly why this album still feels, at times, like pure genius.

I really enjoy chill electronica and this album is super enjoyable

2025 tells me I should feel uneasy listening to ‘Play’ by Moby, framing it as a work of cultural appropriation. It’s so powerful and potent because it collapses distance between past and present, sacred and commercial, Black and White sound worlds. That tension is both the source of its beauty and the root of its ethical complications. The album is gorgeous, but much of that beauty is borrowed. Moby is hardly the first or last white artist to build music around samples of Black music, but ‘Play’ stands out because its most iconic tracks rely so heavily on the haunting roots and folk vocal samples of Bessie Jones, Boy Blue, and Vera Hall. Those voices, lifted from Alan Lomax’s 1993 box set of collected field recordings ‘Sounds Of The South: A Musical Journey From The Georgia Sea Islands To The Mississippi Delta’, do a huge amount of the emotional heavy lifting, which is why the album sits at the centre of so many debates about appropriation. The story of its slow rise only adds another fascinating layer. ‘Play’ initially flopped, only to become a global phenomenon through relentless licensing: films, TV, ads, everywhere. It became one of those rare albums whose ubiquity built its success rather than diluted it. For all its complexities, one thing is undeniable: at 18 tracks and over an hour long, the record never drags. Its pacing, sequencing, and production remain remarkably tight, a testament to how carefully constructed it is. In the end, at least in my opinion, ‘Play’ while a complicated album, is also a great one. Whatever your feelings about how it was made, it absolutely merits a listen, and it more than deserves its place on this list.

Nice to revisit this after a long while. Still holds up.

Some great tracks on here for sure,

Gonna be honest I do stan Moby. Intro to this album fuggin iconic. This album captures the zeitgeist of the late 90s. This is the future old man get used it. Music sounds like this now. And tbh I love it. Introduced the genre of repetitive light techno / ambient techno beat in a more mainstream context. With this album he does a stellar job. Also looks fuggin cool in album art. May as well be skateboarding over a shark.

More fun than I anticipated.

Really good.

i think it's too long for an album but it's great.

This is very solid but a bit dated. Bodyrock is still a solid jam, the rest is just cool and interesting, but nonetheless listenable and enjoyable.

oltre il fatto che effettivamente questo ha fatto un fatto veramente figo e quindi sembra di sentire una roba che viene dal futuro ma anche dal passato, la prima metà dell’album mi ha fatto godere molto peccato che poi invece le tracce della seconda parte si appiattiscano un po’ e quindi perde la carica fortissima dell’inizio (e solo per questo sarebbe più 3,5 che 4) forse find my baby la mia preferita, capiamo

Molto bello, soprattutto nella prima parte. Questo genere di elettronica fatto di sample mi piace molto, infatti lui, i chemical brothers e fat boy slim sono i miei artisti preferiti in questo campo. Tuttavia la seconda metà è troppo spenta e moscia

You know what? I thought this would be a 5. I've listened to it so much before and the use of the old blues and soul stuff is still great (if exploitative) and burned into the memory. But this might be the first album that familiarity has not helped it (maybe bar Fat Boy Slim). It just wasn't as consistent as I remember. And nothing to do with the fact every song was on an advert. I reckon if 18 is on this list it might be better.

I had this record on regular repeat as a teenager, and it still holds up pretty well. Great use of old vocal samples, and even though some of the production sounds a little dated by today's standards, there are some good tracks here. Why Does My Heart Feel so Bad? is my overall favourite track, but the whole thing works great as a complete listen. Not quite five star material for me though.

iconic album that i've listened a lot. many tracks that i eagerly sucked up as a teenager. in its entirety as an album, there are some fillers, however.

A genuine pleasant surprise -- earworms that dig far deeper into your brains than they should

Pretty good although many of the tracks are very repetitive.

I like it, but do I like it. I mean you have got to accept repetition or you just can’t listen to this. The samples, the blues singers are great but… Arranging has always been a part of music so I suppose that’s my answer. So guess I can like it. 4 Star.

I got this when it came out and liked the first half, with the second half being a little too slow for my high school brain. But now on read lesson many years later, I find the back half, especially the last song a nice evolution through the album.

A very cool album with some dance style and atmospheric moody type electronica. Great album to play while you are getting stuff done.

Great electronica album that defined an era. Can drag on a bit, but some real heaters on it.

I don't know why but I scoffed when this album came up and it turned out to be a heavy dose of welcome nostalgia. There were more bangers on this album than I remembered.

7/10

Jeg synes det var sjovt at lytte til! Der er rigtig mange fede ting, og sjov brug af gamle blues samples, og sætte ind i en mere moderne dance/elektronisk univers. De fedeste elementer var dog for mig de sange der føltes mere som originale kompositioner end kreativ sampling, som på "porcelain" (klassiker) og "Guitar Flute & String". "Bodyrock" står også ud som et highlight på pladen for mig, og jeg vil nok helt klart vende tilbage til albummet, men mest for at finde bangers frem igen, fremfor som helhedsoplevelse Men det her er helt klart en af de oplevelser jeg havde ledt efter med denne her hjemmeside/udfordring/oplevelse, og jeg er mellem 4 og 5, men ikke helt oppe og ringe

Elektronisch, enthält aber auch ein paar ganz schöne Gitarrensoli

Um album que me trouxe novamente a lembrança do sintentizadores. Musica eletronica, mas estranhamente calma. O album começou mais frenetico e foi acalmando. Ao chegar no ultima faixa, principalmente, nas ultimas cinco ou seis, me fez sentir complativo, como se tivesse na beira da praia escutando as ondas.

Sampling got a bit repetitive but has some absolute bangers.

A Moby classic! Very good, imo. I could listen to it any day. Not my preferred genre, but what genre really is this? A bunch of bangers and extremely recognizable sampling. Overall, very VERY solid. Not much to say.

Haters gonna hate. This is a great album and a backdrop to the early 2Ks.

Moby is clearly an influential EDM artist. I am not a huge EDM guy but Porcelain is an outright classic. Album takes a bit to get going but then it goes from banger to banger after Porcelain. Also enjoyed "why does my heart feels so bad?", "south side" "body rock" "natural blues" "Run on" is another classic. Loses momentum again towards the end. But overall really cool album!

Gear: Sennheiser MOMENTUM TW 4 Artwork: 🕴️📷🟩 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 😌☕🍫 Ratinng: 🎳🎳🎳(🎳)/5

Electronica for middle aged middle class White people, but some super catchy tunes in the first half of the album. Gets a bit generic ambient towards the end.

Defined a new era of accessable electronica

Great album

that was something

Pretty cool album. Very long though. Has some bangers on here: Flower (bring sally up), Why does my heart feel so bad, Porcelain

I got this the same day Ed Sheeran released a new album called Play. I've not listened to that yet nor do I want to, but if it is anywhere near as good as this I will eat my... whatever it is bald, vegans eat, tofu I guess.

Debated this one, but enough variety/significance to push through. 4.

pretty good album. moby at it's best

me gusto mucho. I liked to listen to it complete though.

good. just really long

When Moby got trendy. Decent, but prefer the raw trance /ambient stuff of his earlier days. (Nothing beats Go).

This is REALLY on the line for me but I think I'm going to give this a 4. It's very minimal to be sure, but I think I enjoy it quite a bit as background music? It's close to being too long for me, but some of the tracks towards the end help keep it alive for me (Machete and Inside being my favorite).

iznenadilo me koliko mi se ovo svidjelo

When I first listened to it, I was not impressed with the first two songs. Then, I listened to "Why Does My Heart Feel so Bad?" I liked it. Following the other songs, I listened to them and found it wasn't so bad. In my view, I feel that Moby's songs could have had more power if they had some lyrics, a bridge...My take is that I am only listening to the chorus of a song. That's what I don't like. It has a lot of potential, but it has a long way to go. Still a great record, nevertheless.

This is not a perfect album - it’s very long, and some of the tracks are not great. Some tracks have been used to death (Porcelain I’m talking about you!) But when it’s good it’s really good. The blues influence in it speaks to me, and his new takes on old spirituals elevates the source material. I’ve always been a fan, and each listen gives me something new, so yeah, it’s not perfect but I kind of like it.

Starts out kinda slow but finds it's niche and is pretty ambitious

As someone who publicly admitted to liking Moby way back in the '90's, I'm highly entertained by the global reviews of this album. The most representative is a 4* review that simply reads, "Do . . . Do I like Moby?" For reasons I don't understand, most folks want to crush the guy for his use of samples. The thing is, even if you don't like the use of samples, it is highly prolific, and Moby not only arguably does it best, he was absolutely the first to do it really well. All the hits, big on influence, and I really like it. This has got to be the closest to a 5* without actually being a 5*.

ok...i was ROCKING with this! so long tho... 2 hour 36 minutes wow

I really liked this album. It sounded very polished and thoughtful. Good grooves, good songs. I had only heard South Side, which I thought was ok, and after listening to the entire album I think that was one of the weakest songs on the album. Nice find.

Really enjoyed. Maybe I’m too easily pleased.

Started hot and mellowed out. Just like every white bitch I’ve dated.

Enjoyed Moby in the early 2000’s. Liked about half the songs. I got the 2 hour album

This came out right before I moved to Chicago, and god did the scene kids their love it. Because of the nature of electronica, I think the way they licensed every track on this album for movies/shows/commercials was a smart, and no doubt lucrative movie that made sure EVERYONE knew who Moby was, or at least, had heard his music. It's a good album that once started, you just lose yourself in.

I didn’t realise how big a fan of Moby my dad must be because I knew more of these songs than I was expecting. Secondly another Music GCSE set piece flashback moment with Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad

Super fun to listen to, shift from vocal to instrumental-focused tracks was a really nice contrast and showed Mobys true versatility as a producer. This is super ahead of its time.

Rules

Listening to this was like watching classic heist / action movies from the early 2000’s

Muy sólido

Ca s'endort un peu sur la fin mais sinon quel classique quand même

A pretty good album, I liked Find My Baby and South Side.

Couple bangers, rest is solid but not standout

I didn't realise a lot of these tracks were by Moby. This music is good for listening to while working. Would I play it to listen to intentionally? Probably not.

Reminds me a bit of Odesza

This is a 3.5 for me, mostly because I loved it back in the day. Reactions now? Still has some songs I really enjoyed (great opening track, for instance), but the album is too long.

Better electronics than most. I can listen to this

And Moby? You can get stomped by Obie You fisty-nine-year-old bald-headed fag, blow me You don't know me, you're too old, let go It's over, nobody listens to techno so I guess this album is pretty nice, although it gets boring at the last tracks

Really cool. Listened to it for most of the day.

I'd never really listened to Moby before and had no expectations. (Though of course I'd heard the name and knew he existed.) Each song felt a bit like listening to a single sentence on repeat... Loved the sound, loved the sentence the first two, three - heck, maybe even the fifth time, but that's it. To me it would've been five stars if there'd been a hint of variation.

From punk rock to electro king. Unique guy.

Soundtrack for the early 00s

I am a bit of a sucker for this kind of thing. Is it really this good? Maybe not but I like it.

J - 4/5 Best Track - "Honey"

Easy to listen to

A weird atmospheric jazzy psychedelic clusterfuck but km into it 4/5

Listen to this embarrassingly often. 4.5 stars. It's the sound of a load of TV ads from my youth.

my dad listened to moby a bunch after he was on holes so he put me on. moby is like the holy dj for white people. I think this guy dod about the same type of thing as beck but better.

4.5 stars. I am slightly biased as I have been a Moby fan for quite some time. I enjoyed many of the songs on this album. I deducted 0.5 stars as there is ambient songs here and there that feel like filler.

Great album with some of the chillest music you'll hear. A classic electronic album, but it has two or three too simplistic tracks that are too ambiental and clearly filler. Overall, a 4/5 album for me

I really enjoyed this and this isn’t usually my genre of choice. Well done Moby.

Pretty good. 4/5. Lush.

One of the first electronic albums I ever listened to, a really formative album for me. The first half of the album start incredibly strongly but there are a few too many filler tracks that bring the energy down for me to give this a 5. I think if it was less nostalgic it would probably score lower but when the album wraps around and I hear the chopped up piano stabs on Honey I change my mind.

Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? is so great, Porcelaine as well

I liked it, but some songs were a bit repetitive. The whole vibe reminded me of C2C

This DJ accomplished so much with his sampling and mixing. He nails every track and the tracks are so varied. A real achievement. Can it be that this is a 5? No, not quite. It’s really good, but a bit directionless aside from the hooks. It’s a 4.

A masterpiece made in a bedroom with end of a century tech. Superb!

Timeless. I'd believe it if you told me this came out in the last five years. What really shines about this album is Moby's ability to find unlikely combinations of samples, musical textures and melodies to consistently capture a vivid feeling that almost defies description - a sort of ethereal, hypermodern nostalgia or something. And to be able to continually evoke this feeling throughout the album without repeating himself, while using totally distinct vocal samples, is quite impressive. If I had a criticism, it's the other edge to that sword: relying so many samples as the primary vocals, memorable as they may be, can make it seem a little impersonal. That's probably why this has been so heavily stripmined by the advertising industry over the years - that isnt Moby's fault, but it is a part of my reaction to this. But that's nitpicky - this is a satisfyingly evocative record.

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would

Bangers cover to cover

I love this album.

Timeless

The first four songs on this album are bangers. Where did Moby go? Easy 4/5.

Dawg am I a Moby fan now

An album full of earworms. Impressively every song is really playlist-able.

Ambient

Never hearf the full album but it was better than expected.

I'm hard pressed to think of a more "mainstream" electronica album than this one. Partly because this album was sprayed all over pop culture when it came out, from the X-Files to TV commercials, it went everywhere. The album itself is solid, with the outstanding tracks for me being the ones where he uses blues singers and backing tracks as a foundation from which to build on.

I put this album on during a family Yahtzee game and everyone had a nice time

I hyper focused sooo hard at work listening to this. Music like this helps me clear my mind and allow me to get stuff done.

Only saw a two hour version and immediately said fuck that noise but that ended up being an extended version. This is unique enough for me to not find it average and was great background music for cooking and dinner.

Une époque plus simple où on fabriquait des bangers en récupérant 15 boucles dans le même morceau de blues avec des drums façon Prodigy mais jouées plus lentement

Très variés, se laisse écouter facilement

Quand t'écoutes pas vraiment l'artiste mais que tu connais la moitié des chansons de l'album

Sorti en 1999, "Play" le cinquième album studio de Richard Melville Hall, alias Moby, est est un monument, une pierre angulaire de la musique électronique qui a réussi le tour de force de s'infiltrer dans chaque recoin de la culture populaire. De la publicité au cinéma, en passant par les cafés et les salles d'attente, les mélodies de "Play" ont formé la bande-son officieuse de la fin des années 90 et du début des années 2000. Et vingt-cinq ans plus tard, l'album conserve une aura quasi mystique, un équilibre parfait entre l'expérimentation sonore et l'accessibilité universelle. La première et la plus évidente des réussites de "Play" réside dans son concept sonore révolutionnaire. Moby ne se contente pas de créer des rythmes électroniques ; il agit en véritable archéologue musical. Le cœur de l'album bat au rythme de samples déterrés des enregistrements de terrain de l'ethnomusicologue Alan Lomax. Ces fragments de voix, capturés des décennies plus tôt, sont des chants de travail, des gospels profonds, des blues bruts et chargés d'une âme palpable. Moby prend ces reliques d'un passé américain rural et les confronte à la modernité froide et synthétique de ses propres compositions. Et le résultat est stupéfiant. L'ouverture de l'album, "Honey", est une déclaration d'intention. Le sample vocal de Bessie Jones, répétitif et hypnotique, s'enroule autour d'un breakbeat puissant et d'un riff de piano entêtant. La fusion est immédiate, organique. On n'écoute pas une simple juxtaposition, mais la naissance d'un son nouveau, un dialogue entre les époques. Ce procédé atteint son apogée sur des morceaux devenus iconiques. "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?", avec sa mélancolie poignante portée par la voix samplée de The Banks Brothers, est d'une beauté désarmante. La simplicité de l'arrangement, quelques accords de synthétiseur et une boîte à rythmes discrète, suffit à créer une atmosphère de tristesse universelle et de questionnement existentiel. Puis vient "Natural Blues". Ici, la voix de Vera Hall, pleine de douleur et de résignation, est le centre de gravité d'un morceau qui vous saisit dès les premières secondes. Moby ne se contente pas de la poser sur une boucle ; il la sculpte, la découpe et la marie à une nappe de synthétiseur spectrale et à un rythme downtempo qui amplifie son pouvoir émotionnel. C'est peut-être le sommet de l'album, l'instant où la fusion entre le passé acoustique et le présent électronique atteint une symbiose parfaite, créant une oeuvre intemporelle. Au-delà de ces chefs-d'œuvre de sampling, la grande force de Play est sa cohérence narrative et émotionnelle. L'album n'est pas une simple compilation de singles potentiels, mais un véritable voyage. Moby alterne avec une maestria déconcertante les moments d'euphorie et les plages de contemplation. Aux côtés des hymnes blues-techno, on trouve des instrumentaux d'une beauté cinématographique. "Porcelain" est sans doute le plus célèbre. Sa mélodie de piano délicate, ses cordes synthétiques aériennes et sa rythmique douce créent un sentiment de nostalgie douce-amère. C'est le son d'un souvenir, d'un matin calme, d'une introspection paisible. Le succès planétaire de ce titre, utilisé dans d'innombrables contextes, témoigne de sa capacité à évoquer une émotion pure, sans le filtre des mots. Dans la même veine, "Everloving" ou "Guitar Flute & String" fonctionnent comme des respirations, des moments de pureté instrumentale qui lient les morceaux plus intenses entre eux. Cette structure confère à l'album une fluidité remarquable. On passe de l'énergie brute de "Bodyrock", un titre explosif construit autour d'un sample de rap old-school, à la quiétude de "Porcelain" sans jamais sentir de rupture. Chaque piste semble être à sa place, contribuant à un tout plus grand qu'elle. C'est cette science du séquençage qui élève Play au-dessus de la mêlée des albums de musique électronique de son temps. Avec ses 18 titres et ses 63 minutes, Play est un album dense, riche, mais finalement épuisant. Si on l'écoute d'une seule traite, une certaine lassitude s'installe inévitablement dans son dernier tiers. Un "Play" ramené à 12 ou 13 pistes, centré sur ses moments les plus forts, aurait été un disque encore plus percutant. Cette longueur excessive donne l'impression que Moby, foisonnant d'idées, a voulu tout inclure, au risque de diluer légèrement la puissance de son propos. En conclusion, "Play" reste une œuvre majeure, un album dont l'influence se fait encore sentir aujourd'hui. Son approche visionnaire du sampling, sa profondeur émotionnelle et sa capacité à créer des mélodies universelles en font un classique incontestable du XXe siècle. Les morceaux de bravoure qui le parsèment ("Natural Blues", "Porcelain", "Honey", "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?") sont des éclairs de génie pur qui justifient à eux seuls son statut culte. Il est la preuve qu'une musique perçue comme "froide" ou "synthétique" peut véhiculer une âme et une chaleur immenses. Le 4 sur 5 que je lui attribue, n'est pas la marque d'un défaut majeur, mais la reconnaissance d'une seule faiblesse : son endurance. Il demande un investissement de la part de l'auditeur, une patience qui n'est pas toujours récompensée dans sa dernière partie. "Play" demeure une écoute essentielle, un témoignage brillant du talent d'un artiste qui, à l'aube du nouveau millénaire, a su faire dialoguer le passé et le futur pour créer la bande-son intemporelle du présent.

OK, I hear the hate, "it's just easy listening samples". Well first I d'like to acknowlledge the novelty of this sound at the time, the influence it had . I remember the first I heard of Moby's sound were soundtrack interludes on the BBC. I thought they had nice sounds and realized later it was part of this CD. Well later on we all knew it and we've probably heard it way too much.

Massive electro-blues album that took the world by storm back then. I still remember every single track, and it still holds up beautifully, but that old sense of fatigue from the radio and movie overexposure creeps back in quickly, though. Funny thing: I saw Moby live just before this album dropped, fronting a punk band opening for Soundgarden. Says a lot about the guy’s range and open-mindedness.

I started with Go and Everything Is Wrong, so when Play came out, Moby became a certified commercial success—literally—and I'd already kinda moved on. I didn't get into this too much then because so many songs could be heard practically EVERYWHERE anyhow. Every track was prostituted out to sell beer, shoes, candy, cars, jeans, and was in dozens of movies and TV shows. So you might say I avoided the album because it felt more like a compilation of songs I just heard in commercials. (As an artist you gotta make a decent living to live and work in Manhattan, I get it). Later on, when I finally listened to the Alan Lomax WPA recordings that provide the backbone of pretty much this entire record, I was struck at how much a sense of authenticity and, I dunno, "classic-ness" can be injected into a newer work simply by sampling an older one. Kinda in the same vein of the piano figure from 1967 is looped and used in "C.R.E.A.M" by Wu-Tang. Using these old sounds gives a new piece a sort of soul, gravity, and sense of place: like it's been around longer than it really has. That sense of a venerable soul created by this has been borrowed, however; it ain't the genuine article. That said, and notwithstanding, Play is kinda comfort record now. It reminds me of that specific sense of optimism and anticipation preceding the turn of the millennium, and the halcyon days that seemed to follow it. It might have sounded like a soulful classic when it came out because of the aforementioned use of samples, but 26 years on, its classic quality now also resides in how Moby put those samples to work within his own sweeping synth-orchestral pop-electronica compositions. This record is a musical palimpsest in that way. And it's still pretty listenable. I gotta say, though, "The Sky Is Broken" sounds like something off of that ridiculous cheese-fest Fabio After Dark album from 1993. Ultimately, the heart of this exercise does lives within the samples Moby used. They are cultural artifacts of profound significance. So, if you haven't delved into the Alan Lomax material that this record owes its entire existence (and inclusion in this list) to, you simply must listen to it. Like, today. If it's not on the 1001 list it damn well should be: Sounds of the South. Go. Do it. Right now.

Boppy, instrumental

4/5

Good - very meditative

I recognise so many of these songs from movies and TV that it felt like I'd already listened to the album. Doesn't really make me want to check out Moby any further but I enjoyed this for what it was.

The first thing I always think of when it comes to Moby is that time he said he dated Natalie Portman, and her response was basically, “wtf is he on about? No, we didn’t date.” I can’t even remember the details, but that’s where my mind goes to. Anyway, this album absolutely has a handful of really good songs with absolutely depressing lyrics. The rest of the album is quite skippable though, which is a bit of a shame. I found myself getting bored in the second half of the album, which didn’t feel possible after the first few songs. This is decent, but I’m not sure I’ll be seeking it out again.

Végig jó, kicsit chill lemez, dolgozni fun

Enjoyed it, and owned it when it was new. 4/5

People who don’t like Moby just aren’t comfortable with sincerity

So I am really conflicted about sampling blues singers. I know its legal. It's just not right, unless you're paying the descendants all the royalties. That being said, I enjoyed listening to it, because the most joy I have ever felt at Levine was creating this kind of music with garage band for a class.

Spawned some great B sides, including South Side—the version with Gwen Stefani being the best.

Some amazing singles here and very enjoyable. Album is a little long and the strictly Moby parts without any strong samples are pretty weak. If it was tighter it would probably get 5 stars

I don't know if you can make music this earnestly without sometimes stepping over the line into second hand embarrassment. I thank Moby for his service.

Pretty good. Moby’s always good listening.

really blown away by this one.

Enjoyed but kinda faded into background music for me

new album for me and a big surprise - I really like it! 4/5 #musicsky #albumsky #musicchallenge

Like or dislike the man or the music, some poignant tracks on there. Feels a little samey and “dramatic naughtys film sad moment” back half of the album skippable but the first half you forget how many of those tracks were on one album

I thought this was supposed to be about whales?!? Call me Ishmael. Anyway, I liked this WAY better than the book. 4

always good to listen

I've never listened to much Moby but this is really good. Like the meditative ones that seem to be in the second half of this album mostly. Long!

I actually enjoyed this quite a lot. I knew a few songs what made me feel nostalgic, and then the rest was a good listen. It is one I’d revisit again, which is a good sign.

Really relaxing, good stuff.

респект челу за "mobygratis.com", полезная штука. альбом норм, приятный, но каждый день бы не слушал.

Honey - hell of an opener!!!!!!!! Never hear of them! Really cool style! Bodyrock YES First 5/5 ??? Very easy listening 4.5 rounded down to 4 SORRY

Play was a final throw of the dice. Mobys label Elektra had abandoned him after his previous album Animal Rights sold abysmally (an ill advised politics based thrash metal album). Initially self recorded Play was supposed to be a swansong, a small indie album he was writing for himself. Instead it was one of the most successful albums of the 1990s. The songs were used in a LOT of adverts - over 100 in the US alone. Play Netted Moby $1 Million before a single album had even been sold. As a result the album received criticism in some quarters for commodifying black slave music (about half the tracks use this in sample). But given the background to this record I personally think it would be harsh not to give Moby a pass on this (I would doubt that was the intention). Moby has clear talent, and uses samples well alongside his compositions. There are a couple of songs that could have a bit more grit - but where he excels is in the universality of his sound. Half the album is not samples based - and whilst this does not always hit the heights of those other tracks (save Porcelain) the mix of ambiant electronic and dance friendly electro still holds up well. The final tracks are pretty reflective and interesting. You can hear his sadness in The Sky is Broken & My Weakness. Honey, Porcelain, Why Does my Heart Feel so Bad?, Natural Blues, The Sky is Broken 4/5

As broadly loathsome as I find Moby as a person (#TeamNatalie), I must admit, this is very good. I do not want to consider the moral and ethical quandaries raised by his use of Lomax field recordings at this time, thank you.

I listened to this when I was a teenager, didn't like it, and never revisited. Now I really like it? Am I getting old enough to appreciate downtempo?? *gulp*

This album slaps. Was nice to have another listen.

A rare electronic album I actually enjoyed. The songs were varied and interesting and there were some spacey sounding ones near the end that I really enjoyed. Going back and forth between 4 and a 5 but I did feel like it was a tad overlong for my tastes.

3.9 - I thought this was gonna be higher, but I feel like as it went on, the more repetitive it felt honestly. Great moments, but yeah...

First half is so good, barely a miss. So many familiar tracks that I never realised were Moby. Then the last few tracks where it gets slower and more ambient I'm not that in to. It feels like an anti-climax to the album, they should be on a completely different project in my view. 4/5

Side A is 5 stars all the way. Side B really lets off and becomes overly repetitive. But I can't deny the catchiness of so much of this album.

Phew. This was definitely groundbreaking when it came out. On relistening after 17 years (according to my last.fm account) the looped sample on Find My Baby gets really annoying really quickly. Still, it's amazing how quickly it feels really familiar again, and for the most part, the production still holds up today. It's almost a pity how every single track off of this 18 track album has become an acoustic wallpaper for at least the Western world, thanks to Moby's very liberal approach to licensing his songs for ads, movies, TV, games, and anything else you could conceivably stick a soundtrack on.

A bit copy+paste style but honestly if it works it works and it makes the non-formula songs sound even better

Pwetty good

Some monster tracks you know plus great sounding slow burners. Before from listening on a good hifi.

I liked the versions of the “found” records the best. Appropriation though, or appreciation?

the soulful beats give this music its life. Play is almost like a storybook, and feels like an explorative journey of the human spirit through its beauty and pain. It feels meaningful and nourishing,

i came into this album with very low expectations. i have a big problem with judging books by their covers, and this cover is pretty stupid, so i wasnt expecting much. i was quite surprised with how much i enjoyed this album. the final track is currently soothing the hell out of my ears its pretty nice.

Moby has a strong "that was a time and place" effect for me; where some of his albums and songs are strongly connected to years of my life and it's hard for me to separate them. This album for me was when I was entering my teenage years and starting to grow into a little dude with a personality and interests and a taste in music. It came out when I was 9, so I'm sure I heard some of these on MTV and randomly on the radio, but I remember listening to this album a few years later and thinking the music was very fun and different than what my friends were listening to. I guess it was an early guilty pleasure? Last year I had a revival of "Porcelain" and listened to it a lot; it even made it's way into the elite club of songs in a spotify playlist that I made for that year of my life. It's a beautiful song that has some kind of magic that immediately makes me feel nostalgia, and wonder. You could place it at the end of so many movies and it would elevate the conclusion- the high school romance where the boy finally gets the girl, or over the top of a cinematic shot of a sprawling landscape that shows that the town is safe from the evil-doer. That's atleast what I can picture in my head. "Find My Baby" could be an evolution of "Woke Up This Morning", the great theme song from The Sopranos. I've heard "Flower" played a lot at a local venue, it's like one of their tech setup songs that they play while they are setting up the gear for the band to play. Because of that, it gives me a lot of nervous excitement, like I'm a bit conditioned to expect a show after hearing this one. Great album all around. 4.3

Moby gets a lot of shit and honestly he mostly deserves it, but this album is wall to wall bangers. He was never this good again.

Dude’s weird. There are a lot of gripes with him and with this album that are all valid. But damn….it just sounds so good. Maybe it’s because this came out when I was still pretty young, but the emotional component of the samples repeated against the (now very charmingly retro-sounding) synths and drum pads still hits. It’s pretty tastefully put together almost all the way through. This is a must-listen with a one star ding for kinda dragging out, and for Moby’s lameness 132

Was not expecting to like this at all, let alone this much. I don't like chill, repetitive electronic music, but the atmosphere here is fantastic. The beats and melodies are so groovy and fun that the repetitions actually helped. And there was enough variety to keep me engaged for the entire hour of runtime. There isn't any songs that blew my mind, but their average quality is very high, and overall this album offers a pretty coherent experience. It also gets a bit too ambient for my taste towards the end, but otherwise, it's great.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Play. This album clearly made its rounds in commercials, movies, and just about anywhere music can live in the background. Sitting down and listening to the whole thing for the first time made me wish I’d done it sooner. The first 8 tracks are creative, soulful, and full of energy. Unfortunately, the second half doesn’t quite hold the same magic. If about five of those later tracks were trimmed, this could easily be a 5-star album. Still, it’s a solid and impressive listen overall.

I liked Moby in my early teen years back in the late 90s where Why Does My Heart..., Porcelain and Natural Blues had fun video clips and catchy melodies. I haven't actually listened the whole album before so it was my first listen and I liked it. It's a well made, consistent electronica album with many good, atmospheric songs. I enjoyed the album and I will definitely come back to it later.