Moby

Moby's latest release, Last Night, is a return to the dancefloor that birthed him. This is especially true of the tracks that smack of his early-'90s compositions- "Everyday It's 1989" and "The Stars" resemble his rave anthems "Feeling So Real" and "Next Is the E" in their effervescent rhythms and screaming, gospel-like vocals. At other points, the record is a reflection of an endless New York City club crawl across a smorgasbord of musical styles, including hip-hop, ambient soundscapes, and digital disco. "I Love to Move in Here" is a playful Italian house number peppered with a lighthearted rap and the delicate refrain of the title. This rapping, courtesy of Grandmaster Caz, turns up again on "Alice," a track displaying a smooth quality reminiscent of the nonconfrontational, British trip-hop approach to rhymes. "Disco Lies" is a trance-tinged, percolating number hung around the sing-along-able phrase, "How could you lie?" While the first half of Last Night is all about the clubs, the disc slows down considerably, moving toward a minimalist ballad on the title track. This tempo shift is less interesting- but, in Moby's case, more licensing-friendly- than the rest of Last Night. The authenticity of the upbeat numbers is far more genuine and visceral- especially if, like Moby, you want to relive your youthful years all over again. With DJ Colby B, Nordic Soul, Bret Law Neumo's, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m. SOLD OUT.
Sun., June 8, 8 p.m., 2008