Hotel (album)
Encyclopedia
Hotel is the seventh studio album
by American electronica
musician Moby
, first released internationally on March 14, 2005 and then on March 22, 2005 in the United States
. Hotel was recorded under the Pacha
label and mixed at Moby's apartment, Electric Lady Studios
, and Loho Studios
in Manhattan
, New York City
. Initial quantities of the album came with a second CD of ambient music
entitled Hotel: Ambient.
The album was a departure from Moby's previous two electronica
- and dance
-driven albums (Play
and 18), encorporating a more alternative rock
-based approach, and is the first Moby album in several years to not contain any vocal samples
. The album received a mixed critical reception. Despite this, it reached number 8 in the UK and debuted straight at number 1 in some European countries and went on to earn gold and platinum awards in over twenty countries, with global sales of over 2 million copies.
s, where humans spend often significant portions of their lives, but have all traces of their tenancy removed for the next guests.
Moby is responsible for playing the instruments on all the tracks, except for drums. Laura Dawn
provides additional vocals. The first UK single
was "Lift Me Up", released on February 28, 2005. The second UK single, "Spiders", was released on May 23, 2005 to coincide with Moby's UK tour. The album includes a ballad cover of New Order
's "Temptation
". Worldwide, the album has sold over 2 million copies.
As with Moby's previous albums, Play and 18, there was a Hotel DVD featuring the videos for the singles, a live concert, and a sequel to Moby's home movie and tour diary series, Give an Idiot a Camcorder.
Disc two: Hotel:Ambient (all versions excluding iTunes
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
musician Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, first released internationally on March 14, 2005 and then on March 22, 2005 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Hotel was recorded under the Pacha
Pacha
Pacha is a nightclub franchise with headquarters in Ibiza, Spain. The first Pacha club was opened in Sitges outside Barcelona in 1967. The Ibiza club, located in Ibiza Town, is the best known venue today. During 2009 Pacha acquired El Divino, near the marina of Ibiza la Nueva, which will be...
label and mixed at Moby's apartment, Electric Lady Studios
Electric Lady Studios
Electric Lady Studios, at 52 West 8th Street, in New York City's Greenwich Village, is a recording studio originally built by Jimi Hendrix and designed by John Storyk in 1970...
, and Loho Studios
Loho Studios
Loho Studios is a New York recording studio. Founded in 1983 by brothers Edward and Victor Luke, it began as a rehearsal studio but, with the addition of recording equipment, over time became a full-fledged recording studio...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Initial quantities of the album came with a second CD of ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
entitled Hotel: Ambient.
The album was a departure from Moby's previous two electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
- and dance
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
-driven albums (Play
Play (Moby album)
Play is the fifth studio album by American electronica musician Moby, released on May 17, 1999 on V2 Records. While some of Moby's earlier work garnered critical and commercial success within the electronic dance music scene, Play was both a critical success and a commercial phenomenon...
and 18), encorporating a more alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
-based approach, and is the first Moby album in several years to not contain any vocal samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
. The album received a mixed critical reception. Despite this, it reached number 8 in the UK and debuted straight at number 1 in some European countries and went on to earn gold and platinum awards in over twenty countries, with global sales of over 2 million copies.
Background
The album name Hotel was explained in one of Moby's journal entries. The artist was fascinated by the nature of hotelHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s, where humans spend often significant portions of their lives, but have all traces of their tenancy removed for the next guests.
Moby is responsible for playing the instruments on all the tracks, except for drums. Laura Dawn
Laura Dawn
Laura Dawn is an American political activist and singer/songwriter. She has been the Cultural Director for MoveOn.org since March 2004 and was named the organization's National Creative Director in 2007.-Musical work:...
provides additional vocals. The first UK single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was "Lift Me Up", released on February 28, 2005. The second UK single, "Spiders", was released on May 23, 2005 to coincide with Moby's UK tour. The album includes a ballad cover of New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
's "Temptation
Temptation (New Order song)
"Temptation" is a stand-alone single released by British band New Order on Factory Records. The single reached #29 on the UK Singles Chart on its release in 1982.-Original release:...
". Worldwide, the album has sold over 2 million copies.
As with Moby's previous albums, Play and 18, there was a Hotel DVD featuring the videos for the singles, a live concert, and a sequel to Moby's home movie and tour diary series, Give an Idiot a Camcorder.