Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt
Moby · 2018
56 min · 12 tracks · alternative rock
A haunting blend of ambient textures and melancholic melodies reflecting on loss and the passage of time.
Top tracks — play these first
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Mere Anarchy Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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The Tired and the Hurt — This track encapsulates the album’s central theme of vulnerability, featuring delicate instrumentation that complements its poignant reflections on pain and healing.
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Welcome to Hard Times — With its driving beat and somber lyrics, this track confronts societal despair while maintaining an undercurrent of hope, illustrating Moby's knack for marrying dark themes with uplifting sounds.
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Like a Motherless Child — This cover infuses traditional gospel elements with Moby's electronic sound, transforming it into a meditative exploration of loneliness and longing that resonates deeply throughout the album.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
InstrumentalThe album blends ambient soundscapes with reflective melodies, creating a cohesive yet introspective experience.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features tracks that build slowly with layered ambient textures, while the second half introduces more melodic elements and varied instrumentation.
- Several tracks incorporate spoken word samples, which add a narrative quality to the instrumental soundscapes.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady pacing for deep reflection
- haunting soundscapes for solitude
- themes of loss and resilience
- consistent flow encourages immersion
- gradual decline invites introspection
Maybe skip if you
- seeking upbeat party atmosphere
- prefer short, standalone tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Late Career Highlight — Shows continued artistic evolution and depth in Moby's later career.
- Themes
- political turmoil· motherless child longing· contemporary struggles
- Career context
- Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt marks Moby's return to a more introspective style following the commercial success of his 2013 album, Innocents. By 2018, he had established himself as a significant figure in electronic music, transitioning from mainstream hits in the late '90s to a more nuanced exploration of themes like grief and resilience in his later works.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Massive Attack· Thievery Corporation· Air
Tracklist
- 1 Mere Anarchy Start here 5:15
- 2 The Waste of Suns 4:44
- 3 Like a Motherless Child 4:37
- 4 The Last of Goodbyes 4:23
- 5 The Ceremony of Innocence 3:56
- 6 The Tired and the Hurt 4:28
- 7 Welcome to Hard Times 5:08
- 8 The Sorrow Tree 4:28
- 9 Falling Rain and Light 4:46
- 10 The Middle Is Gone 5:13
- 11 This Wild Darkness 4:09
- 12 A Dark Cloud Is Coming 5:24
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Assume Form
James Blake
Shares a similar introspective tone with ambient textures and emotionally charged themes of longing.
22, A Million
Bon Iver
Explores themes of loss and resilience through layered soundscapes and reflective lyricism.
Magdalene
FKA twigs
Combines haunting atmospheres with themes of heartbreak and personal struggle, akin to Moby's reflective style.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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