It seems odd that, of all this genre-straddling multi-talented musician's works, the most consistent is probably this six-track EP. Of course, when you expend yourself as completely as Moby does--with remixes, albums, bonus CDs and live shows--it probably makes sense that "Move"--recorded and released in 1993--would represent (so far) his creative peak. After terminating his contract with Instinct and signing to Elektra, Moby had the dance world in the palm of his hand. He was already an underground star of massive proportions, and his music had enough pop appeal to put him over. So "Move" isn't so much the beginning of his Elektra years as it is the culmination of his time at Instinct: fierce dance music that doesn't let up, capped by gorgeous tranquility, the sum result of which is endlessly listenable. I love "Move"--not as much as I do "Everything is Wrong", but more than I did anything else in dance music at the time and all music in 1993 (and I listen to a LOT of music).
"Move (You Make Me Feel So Good)" nearly tore my head off the first time I heard it--on a dance floor, appropriately enough. There is something head-splitting about the awesome power of a screaming diva in the context of loud beats & basslines, and Moby knows it, because one of his gifts is for exploiting this in consistently fresh ways. "Move (YMMFSG)" is as perfect a single as anyone has made--in the dance world, and in any other as well. I especially enjoy it here at single length (3:39), because that very brevity invites you to listen over & over again, to feel the joy of rediscovery. And relisten I did: when I bought the ep I listened to that first track over & over again, and it just got better & better every time. This is surely one of Moby's masterpieces. The remix is nice, but it's the weakest thing here: it sounds a lot better on the "Everything is Wrong" mix album, where its context is better.
Nothing wrong with "All That I Need is to Be Loved" though--this is menacing, fierce, dark, and beautiful. "Morning Dove" sounds like a demo, but it works perfectly; after "You Make Me Feel" and "All That I Need" it allows us a bit of space, which we need after the first 2 tracks overwhelm us. "The Rain Falls & the Sky Shudders" is really beautiful (not his best of this type, but who cares?), but the absolute monster is "Unloved Symphony". An epic jungle track, this is one of the absolute finest pieces of music he has ever made. (Check out how he fuses two completely different breakbeats together to create one ungodly rhythm.) I suppose that since he doesn't have any "underground credibility" anymore (cough, cough) that this won't really be looked at as a worthwhile contribution to the drum & bass community, but it is, it is. If you forced me to choose between "Move (You Make Me Feel So Good)" and "Unloved Symphony" I'm afraid I'd have to shoot you. ;-)
So then, a peak. Just one, though: after releasing this, Moby set about making a full-length album--a statement, if you will. And the first thing he released after this was a little single called "Hymn". "Hymn" was a whole new kind of music, and it carried the seeds of what we know him as today. But as a cap to his strictly-dance days, it'd be hard to think of a better release than "Move". It's beautiful, it's consistent as hell, and it is the perfect introduction to one of the half-dozen most important artists of the 1990s.
| Artist | Title | Format | Rating[out of 10] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moby | "Move" | CD/EP | 9.5 |
| Strings, screaming female vocals, and a disco beat? This EP marked his debut on Elektra records, and a change in style. Most noticeably is the more produced sound. Secondly, there is a GREAT diversity of musical styles on this disc. "All That I Need Is To Be Loved" is just plain brilliant, with Moby screaming "All that I need is to be loved/won't you take this out of me?" set over an increasingly urgent 303 riff and a breakbeat. "Morning Dove", to me, is the best fusion of the "tribal" concept and floor-stomping techno. "Unloved Symphony" is one of the few songs where the words "dark" and "brooding" actually do justice. The "Disco Threat" remix of "Move" isn't quite as anthemic as the original, but still intense. And after all that manic energy, "The Rain Falls and the Sky Shudders" is a perfect end to what is a perfect fusion of dance energy and raw emotion. | |||
| Artist | Title | Format | Rating[out of 10] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moby | "Move - The Remixes" | 12" | 6 |
| The best possible argument for spending the extra money on this import vinyl is the extended, original mix of "Move". You really don't know what you're missing until you hear this version. Unfortunatley, the other mixes didn't do alot for me, and really are nothing but beats for the DJ to process. | |||
MOVE promo [1993]
US 12" promo, Elektra, ED 5663
1 6:24 Move (You Make Me Feel So Good) [engineered by Curt Frasca]
2 6:11 Move (Sub Version)
3 3:36 Move (Radio Edit) [engineered by Curt Frasca]
4 6:10 Move (M.K. Blades Mix) [Marc Kinchen]
5 4:42 Move (Disco Threat)
6 6:39 Move (Xtra Mix)
MOVE promo [1993]
US CD promo, Elektra, PRCD 8828-2
1 3:35 Move (Radio Edit) [engineered by Curt Frasca]
2 6:00 Move (M.K. Blades Mix) [Marc Kinchen]
3 6:11 Move (Sub Version)
MOVE promo [1993]
UK 12", Mute, P12 MUTE 158R
NOTE: Has blue jacket with large yellow Moby logo.
A 7:09 All That I Need Is To Be Loved [Hard Trance Version]
AA 5:43 Morning Dove
MOVE [1993]
US 12", Elektra, ST-E-61568-1
1 6:24 Move (You Make Me Feel So Good) [engineered by Curt Frasca]
2 5:43 Morning Dove
3 7:00 All That I Need Is To Be Loved
4 6:10 Unloved Symphony
MOVE (31:50) [Sep 1993]
US CD, Elektra, 9 61568-2
US CS, Elektra, 9 61568-4
CA CD, Elektra, CD 61568 (jewel case)
NOTE: A purple-on-gray Moby logo sticker is packaged with
this disc.
1 3:39 Move (You Make Me Feel So Good) [engineered by Curt Frasca]
2 5:19 All That I Need Is To Be Loved (MV)
3 5:43 Morning Dove
4 4:43 Move (Disco Threat)
5 6:10 Unloved Symphony
6 6:16 The Rain Falls And The Sky Shudders
MOVE - THE E.P. [1993]
12", Mute, 12MUTE 158
1 3:36 Move (You Make Me Feel So Good) [engineered by Curt Frasca]
2 6:08 Morning Dove
3 7:00 All That I Need Is To Be Loved [Hard Trance Version]
4 6:07 Unloved Symphony
MOVE [1993]
UK limited edition 12", Mute, L12MUTE 158
1 6:24 Move (You Make Feel So Good) [engineered by Curt Frasca]
2 6:10 Move (MK Blades Mix) [Marc Kinchen]
3 6:11 Move (Sub Version)
4 6:39 Move (Xtra Mix)
MOVE (21:26) [Sep 1993]
UK CD, Mute, CDMUTE 158
CD, Intercord/Mute, INT 826.764
1 3:39 Move (You Make Me Feel So Good) [radio edit]
2 5:18 All That I Need Is To Be Loved (MV)
3 6:11 Unloved Symphony
4 6:18 The Rain Falls And The Sky Shudders
MOVE - THE MIXES (25:05) [1993]
GE CD, Mute/Intercord, INT 826.773
GE 12", Mute/Intercord, INT 126.773
CD, ?, Nova Mute Int 826.773 CD
"The German(y) Mixes"
1 7:26 Move (DJ Kid Paul Mix)
2 7:40 Move (Electro Mix)
"The Remixes"
3 6:11 Move (Sub Version)
4 3:36 Move (You Make Me Feel So Good) [radio edit]
