To my ears, Moby has always been at his best when not dredging up blues-tinged samples from the past for a redressing, clever though that tactic has been. Rather, when composing from scratch, he retains the ability to come up with genuinely arresting electronic music, whether for the dancefloor or for home listening.
Alice fits the bill for the former, thanks to a tense vocal contribution from Aynzil and the 410 Squad, whose vocals add a sense of paranoia to proceedings. And although the multi-layered backing might recall Run On, its stern delivery fits in well to the overall brooding soundscape.
A fine return that bodes well for the new album due in two weeks' time, and an indication that Moby has returned to doing what he always did best, despite the fact it brought him less commercial success. Coruscating remixes from Drop The Line, Noisia and General Midi only serve to highlight the point.
