Move EP – Moby – released on Mute Records August 31st, 1993.
Moby inspired a whole generation of ravers with his early releases and was one of the very first artists I discovered when I started my electronic music journey.
30 years ago, while still very much a goofy teenager, I picked up a copy of this EP during my summer holidays and listened to it over and over on repeat.
Though only six tracks in total, I felt I’d gotten serious value for money since it offered so much musical variety.
Sure, most of the tracks on here are showing their age now (what do you expect after three decades?) though two more are personal favourites of mine which I deem timeless.
As a final note, I’m basing this review on the CD version, which has two more tracks than the 12″ release, with that in mind…
Let’s Get Moving
Track 1 – Move
I love the pads in the intro to this track, something very warm and embracing about them, then along comes a beat, which is very similar to the Woodtick mix of Go (y’know the Twin Peaks version).
Course then we get to the cheesy diva vocals and pianos of the chorus, which have never been my thing, but I still can appreciate how well constructed this tune is and how well the various elements blend together. I especially the piano arpeggio before the main break.
I mean, I know, it’s cheesy as fuck but it’s meant to be. It’s the EP’s radio-friendly single and, though I was never a huge fan of it, I still get waves of nostalgia listening back.
Track 2 – All That I Need Is To Be Loved
Moby’s made a few different versions of this track, and they vary wildly, from a more subdued vocal-free cut to the thrash metal-style version he released the following year.
The version on Move, however, is my favourite version, a pure acidic stomper. Once again this track is showing its age (we’re taking peak Harthouse era here) so I freely admit the nostalgia fumes might be affecting me slightly here too.
Track 3 – Morning Dove
Ok, ok, so the last two tracks were kinda dated and cheesy but this one has only gotten better with age if you ask me.
In fact, this might well be my favourite Moby track of all time.
Of all the different stuff he’s put out, I’m mostly partial to these early tribal workouts of his. Tracks like Patients and Next Is the E (Synthe Mix) are two prime examples that I still play out any chance I get.
Morning Dove fits into this category too, it’s timeless up-tempo techno with heavy tribal vibes.
The track features a chanting loop throughout. Later we get some acid and minimal Middle Eastern flavour, but it’s all about the percussion this one.
Listen carefully, especially to the toms on the third and fourth bars, and tell me Liam Howlett wasn’t also listening carefully to this track too. Now compare it with that other 90s tribal masterpiece, The Prodigy’s One Love. Morning Dove was a source of inspiration surely, what you think?
Track 4 – Move (Disco Threat)
This is a faster, high-energy version that adds in a subdued breakbeat and turns the piano cheese amp up to 11.
We can certainly see the beginnings of the happy hardcore Moby phase here. As such, I wasn’t a fan of this one at the time and I’m even less of a fan now. This one doesn’t appear on the 12″ incidentally.
Track 5 – Unloved Symphony
Now this is an interesting one. The sonic pallet is classic Moby but you can certainly hear a British influence also.
The track starts with those distinctive vintage Moby strings (from a Yamaha SY22 I’m reliably told) before introducing a high-speed Amen break, the strings are then stacked, one octave on top of the other, building intensity.
A third of the way through the beat drops and we get a different string chord progression (very reminiscent of Prodigy’s Out Of Space I always felt) and then by the halfway mark the beat comes back and we get an uplifting piano melody on top.
Ironic title this one because everyone I knew at the time hated this track whereas I loved it. (This is a common theme with Moby releases I’ve found, I call it the Moby Marmite factor.)
So yeah, don’t worry, at least I loved your unloved symphony Moby and, listening back again in my early 40s, I have to say I still do.
Track 6 – The Rain Falls And The Sky Shudders
Now for something special. This track doesn’t appear on the 12″, which is a shame, because I’d love to hear this crackling away on the turntable.
Moby is one of a handful of artists who taught me to appreciate ambient and this particular track done a lot of that heavy lifting. I fell in love with it instantly and it’s the main reason I’m writing up this review, because I don’t think it’s all that well known and it deserves to be.
In practical terms it’s a very simplistic piece, there’s rain sounds, some wind, occasional bursts of noise and traffic and a very simple melodic loop to hold the thing together.
The rest is just Moby jamming over the top, tinkling the digital ivories in a way that always kinda reminded me of The Doors’ Riders On The Storm –the rain, the gentle piano notes, the general vibe… wonder if it was a conscious influence, maybe a subconscious one?
Honestly, every time I listen to this I can vividly picture a hot summer cityscape, the arcs of heavy navy clouds bursting above the tall buildings, drenching the streets below, traffic honking, gutters flooding and people scattering for cover.
Perhaps you may even imagine an open window, cool air blowing in replacing the fetid heat of a hot New York apartment, while inside, some crazy bald dude sits staring out at it all while jamming away on his Yamaha.