Moby unveils rework of ‘Natural Blues’ feat. Gregory Porter & Amythyst Kiah from upcoming ‘Reprise’ LP: Listen

As a follow-up to the reimagined version of his most well-known classic ‘Porcelain‘, Moby blessed our souls with the rework of yet another anthem, ‘Natural Blues‘ from his forthcoming album ‘Reprise‘.

Coming on May 28 via Deutsche Grammophon, his 19th(!) LP includes his musical highlights from his extraordinary 30+ year-long career, all backed by the Budapest Art Orchestra. Together with a stellar line-up of guest artists from across the musical spectrum, including Alice Skye, Kris Kristofferson, Skylar Grey and Víkingur Ólafsson among others, they re-envisioned some of his characteristic rave classics. ‘Reprise’ features his breakthrough dance track ‘Go‘, ‘Extreme Ways‘ (which was included in the Bourne movie franchise soundtrack) and for instance a Moby classic, ‘Lift Me Up‘. He proves that his art can adapt over time to different settings and contexts, while keeping the essence of his soundscapes so that the most devoted fans will have a chance to reminisce about past emotions his music aroused.

Born Richard Melville Hall, the American musical pioneer explained it briefly:

“Why include an orchestra? “I long for the simplicity and vulnerability you can get with acoustic or classical music.”

Released on his fifth album ‘Play‘ in 1999, ‘Natural Blues’ is built around vocals sampled from ‘Trouble So Hard‘ by American folk singer Vera Hall. Originally, it is a melancholic yet etheral downtempo hit, with an angelic guest appearance from Christina Ricci on the official music video. For the new version, Moby recruited jazz-soul-gospel magician Gregory Porter and fellow American blues singer and songwriter, rising star Amythyst Kiah. The ‘Reprise’ variant of ‘Natural Blues’ is a concentration of styles from blues, gospel, ambient and alternative rock, united under the aegis of Amythyst’s powerful vocals and Gregory’s distinctive baritone voice. They meld seamlessly into each other and leave the listener in awe while listening to the soul-stirring string melody and solid percussions, culminating in a strong, sensational chorus. With the help of Gregory Porter, Amythyst Kiah and the Budapest Art Orchestra, Moby turned this classic into a contemporary composition, even richer in sound and emotions.

Achieving worldwide sales of more than 20 million albums, Moby scored eight Top 10 hits on the Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart, while also being an animal rights activist and humanitarian aid, and the author of four books including a collection of his photography. In addition to the new album, he is going to premiere a documentary film, MOBY DOC, directed and edited by Rob Bralver on May 28. It is a surrealist biographical documentary narrated by Moby himself, reflecting on his rough personal life and journey as an artist, looking back on what turned him away from underground punk bands to be a chart-topping solo artist and from struggling addict to vegan activist. The film features interviews with David Lynch and David Bowie, along with extraordinary concert footage.

Have a sneak peek at MOBY DOC and let ‘Natural Blues’ take you to another dimension!

Image Credit: Gregory Porter (via Facebook), Moby (via Facebook), Amythyst Kiah (via Facebook)