Moby

Throughout his ponderous career, Richard M. Hall (a.k.a. Moby) has mutated from skinny techno antistar to vegan Christian crusader to guitar-wielding punk and back again, picking up new fans (and new detractors) along the way. Although his brand of pop music has fallen out of favor with the techno cognoscenti, you can't ignore Moby's role in bringing the European variation on techno to American shores, transforming it from the mainstay of hip clubbers into the soundtrack of suburban teenagers. And for what it was, the music wasn't bad either. This eponymous album, released way back in 1992, collects the better musical moments from his early days on the Instinct label, including memorable tracks such as the frenetic "Drop a Beat" and the serene, Twin Peaks-sampling "Go." For neophyte techno listeners seeking some historical perspective or aging ravers looking to relive their salad days, this album is a must-have. --Matthew Corwine