Moby – Always Centered at Night Review

Collaboration has moulded the best of Moby. He knows it and admitted to such in the lead-up to his twenty-second studio album, Always Centered at Night. These are the sparks of exciting new cooperation with the best of those underappreciated artists. Moby swans around the background as he kindles these talented artists. They do not need his help in finding their voice. It is the inverse. Always Centered at Night relies on these charming artists from all those niche pockets. Moby is now a taste curator rather than someone present in his music. Performance is of no interest to him. He is now a creative on par with production. This absence is felt on Always Centered at Night, and while they may be original tracks it feels like disappointing blow after disappointing blow for those wanting a genuine Moby record.  

For those not as bothered and happy to ride the wave with the serpentwithfeet and the late Benjamin Zephaniah, Always Centered at Night is a remarkable treat. There is a warmth flowing from Always Centered at Night. Whether it is the noise-cancelling headphones or this rabid desire to connect with something on a cold Sunday is unknowable. Dark Days moves with a vivid sway and centres on the obsession Moby now has. He is controlled by sound and in this comes a complete desire to piece together a moving experience. His sacrifice as a vocalist means he has scuttled off into the background, pulling up the floor and replacing parts we never thought to pay attention to. As a result, the bulk of Always Centered at Night is a soulful, booming experience.  

Zephaniah and Moby make for a monumental collaboration. Where is Your Pride? asks those reoccurring questions and leaves no space for a response. There isn’t one. The fire is extinguished, and the drive and desire are no longer a tertiary experience. It is necessary to feel that the burdens weigh heavier. All these collaborations shine a light on those struggles and the way of overcoming them. Moby does not platform for the sake of it but presents the key to unlocking our faith and hope as collaboration. Transit is a monumental occurrence. With such range of collaborative efforts, there is something for everyone. Fans of Moby, those repelled by his musical thoughts, everyone can grab something from this experience. 

It could not feel better when Always Centered at Night hits its captivating glories. What it lacks in consistent tone is made up for with a varied range of new voices. Should Sleep be miles apart from the tender shocks of Where is Your Pride? but it works as an example of varied opinions. Those who are pulled apart by the real world have a way of reacting to it with force and anger. But where this volatility takes their voice is as wildly different as expected. It makes for a tremendous bubble of rage, punctured by the electronic whirr Moby brings. He stands up to the likes of Raquel Rodriguez on Feelings Come Undone. Part of it feels like Moby meddling with the potential for defining an underrated artist, but the bulk of it comes across with earnest intent. He is championing voices worth hearing.  

Techno and house joys are explored with the Aynzli Jones-led Medusa. This is Moby paying respect to the influences of his career. He said so himself when he founded his record label. His debt to the scene which bolstered his career is behind this and Always Centered at Night does feel “completely inspired by the underground music and labels who’ve influenced me over the years.” Moby expresses his love not through imitation but through collaboration. It is an exceptional turn for Moby, whose structure is to give artists he respects and is moved by, as many are, a place to create without limit. There will be those who want more from Moby as a creative, but this is a far better use of his notoriety. He has come full circle. Platforming those who can do a better job than him lifts the curtain his fans have been trying to peek behind for decades. Whether they like what they say is of no interest to Moby.