Moby re-imagines his back catalogue on forthcoming album ‘Reprise’

Back in 1999, no dinner party, student digs or chillout room was complete without a copy of Moby’s Play – arguably the crossover album to beat all crossover albums – which turned the Go producer into a household name.

As Spin magazine’s Will Hermes put it at the time, Play was “the high-water mark for populist electronica”, blending gospel, roots music, disco and electronica.

With the past few months offering plenty of scope for reflection, Moby has re-imagined some of the biggest tracks from Play, along with other highlights from his back catalogue, on a forthcoming new album, Reprise, which lands on 28 May.

Released on classical music label Deutsche Grammophon, the album sees Moby team up with the Budapest Art Orchestra as well as a range of artists, including Jim James, Kris Kristofferson, Luna Li, Skylar Grey and Víkingur Ólafsson.

There’s also a music documentary to accompany the new album – Moby Doc has been described as a ‘surrealist biographical documentary’ narrated by the man himself, as he traverses various genres and personal challenges during 30-odd years of musical output.

The release of Reprise has already been preceded by a couple of singles, including reworkings of Porcelain (featuring Jim James) and The Lonely Night, featuring Kris Kristofferson and Mark Lanegan, and the third release, a new take on Natural Blues, has just landed, featuring Gregory Porter and Amythyst Kiah on vocal duties.

“When I first heard Moby’s ‘Natural Blues’ I had an immediate connection with the song,” Porter commented in a press release. “It sounded very modern, but at the same time, it felt a thousand years old.

“The different influences that flow through this music are brought to the fore again in this new version – amplifying the soul, spirit and voice of another time. It’s a pleasure to lend my voice to this classic tune, reimagined and renewed.”

Tracklisting for Moby – Reprise, released 28 May

1 – Everloving
2 – Natural Blues (featuring Gregory Porter & Amythyst Kiah)
3 – Go
4 – Porcelain (featuring Jim James)
5 – Extreme Ways
6 – Heroes (featuring Mindy Jones)
7 – God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters (featuring Víkingur Ólafsson)
8 – Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? (featuring Apollo Jane & Deitrick Haddon)
9 – The Lonely Night (featuring Kris Kristofferson & Mark Lanegan)
10 – We Are All Made Of Stars
11 – Lift Me Up
12 – The Great Escape (featuring Nataly Dawn, Alice Skye & Luna Li)
13 – Almost Home (featuring Novo Amor, Mindy Jones & Darlingside)
14 – The Last Day (featuring Skylar Grey & Darlingside)