Opening a plateau of verdant and gloomy synthesizer with the intensive pounding of an electronic drum beat, ‘Mere Anarchy’, the opening cut from Everything Was Beautiful, And Nothing Hurt lays the groundwork for an immersive listen. Twenty-five years and 15 albums since his debut, Moby is still crafting lush beats that act as an instant relaxant for hard times.
From the deep funk-esque bass line of ‘Like A Motherless Child’to the choral vocals in ‘The Last Of Goodbyes’, it’s very hard not to get swept away on the ocean of sounds that roll into your ears like a wave crashing on the shore. Developing in intensity towards the outro, Moby sings “There’s no grace, I can’t accept what I’ll be,” which comes across as incredibly sincere.
One of the main themes on this album is how politics is affecting the running of society in 2018, which comes to a head in ‘Welcome To Hard’. These lyrical ideals are also addressed in ‘This Wild Darkness’ and ‘A Dark Cloud is Coming’, which shine as highlights alongside some very easy listening.
With the title taken from the iconic 1969 novel Slaugherhouse Five, this release from Richard Melville Hall is just that: beautiful.
8/10
