Meditation-inducing orchestrations, emotional melodies and a sense of tranquility and solitude dominate the 16 tracks on "Wait for Me," Moby [ tickets ]'s ninth studio album and first to be released on his own label.

If the bumping party tunes of 2008's "Last Night" were Moby's ode to the '90s dance-club scene, then "Wait for Me" is his return to the most peaceful, symphonic moments of 1999's "Play." Inspiring musical climaxes, repetitive verses and hopeful gospel sermons are thrown into the mix.

The fluid easiness of "Wait for Me" sounds as if Moby didn't bother with an edit button, which adds to the album's refreshing, real quality. Omitting glitter and celebrity, the songs sound wonderfully simple and direct. "Mistake," a mournful, desperate track about regret, perfectly exemplifies this straightforward approach. Without being overworked and poetic, the lyrics are vulnerable and blunt: "I never felt this lost before and the world is closing doors. I never wanted anything more. Don't hurt me this way. Don't touch me this way." These aren't greeting card-worthy rhymes, but, more importantly, they're heartfelt. This sense of artistic freedom and raw openness is heard throughout the record.

With its layers of peaceful, cathartic melodies and choral sounds, "A Seated Night" is one of the most impressive musical highs. Despite a few rousing tracks--particularly the sermon cries of "Study War" or stirring reflections of death and home within "Pale Horses"--"Wait for Me" is a calming, beautiful series of musical vignettes. Together, they create a dynamic, intimate collection of tunes that come across more cinematic, therapeutic and sincere than anything Moby has released to date.