Roisin Murphy returns with a sophisticated adventure in sound that demands undivided attention
Roisin Murphy/ Hairless Toys
Eight years have passed since Roisin Murphy’s last full studio album Overpowered. But the bewitching voice of now defunct electronic duo Moloko is back with a vengeance.
Known best for the Moloko classics Sing It Back and The Time Is Now, Murphy’s third solo studio record is intriguingly titled Hairless Toys.
The album arrives a year after she dropped Mi Senti, a six-track EP mostly consisting of Italian pop song covers.
The new eight-track album is co-produced by long-time collaborator Eddie Stevens (Zero 7, Sia), and finds Murphy moving back from the commotion of the dancefloor to give us something entirely different.
This is a collection of understated yet multi-
faceted tracks that demands your undivided attention right from the get-go.
Inspired by Jennie Livingston’s 1990s gay-subculture documentary Paris is Burning, opener Gone Fishing is a mid-tempo number on which Murphy whispers, “There is no inclusion for those stigmatised/Nobody close to us ever recognise/Only exclusion for us out there/Only delusion of those in despair,” over a cruisy melody that precariously sounds like elevator music. With its lack of bite and near six-minute runtime, this is a rather odd choice to begin the album with.
Faring much better is Evil Eyes, a joyful marriage of synth stabs, slick beats and Murphy’s bewitching spell, “Agi-magic-la-talagy”. Exploitation, which serves as the lead single, picks up where the previous number left off. Clocking in at almost 10 minutes, the track stands out with its lush, textured groove and wonderfully off-kilter rhythm. “Who? Who’s exploiting who?” she queries with a wink as the percussion scurries along. The last three minutes offer a slice of pure sonic euphoria fitting for a sophisticated all-night rave — if ever there was such a thing.
Then comes the avant-jazz allure of Uninvited Guest, promptly followed by the twangy rumination of Exile. House of Glass, on the other hand, is an exhilarating twist on traditional deep house, blending elements of jazz and experimental with funky guitars. And while the piano ballad Hairless Toys (Gotta Hurt) features some quiet contemplation in the form of muted vocals, closer Unputdownable surprises us with an unexpected shift in sound, turning the otherwise ordinary ballad into a stirring one.
Make no mistake, Hairless Toys is a collection of elegantly-produced songs that underlines Murphy’s acute sense of sonic adventure we’ve caught a glimpse of throughout her career — whether it’s during the Moloko heyday or her solo endeavours. The trick to enjoy this album is to keep an open mind and try not to dive into it expecting to be delighted by a myriad of cascading piano chords, pulsating beats, and catchy hooks. Complex, sophisticated and utterly unpredictable, not only should this work be heard by the public at large, it also deserves to be studied by her contemporaries. n
THE PLAYLIST
Moving and Cut/ Rak Tee Thur Bok Ma
On his latest single, Rak Tee Thur Bok Ma (The Love You Told Me), designer-turned-musician Parin Korawis has moved away from operating solo and recruited three new members to the lineup of Moving and Cut. The track, as a result, sounds much more fleshed out than the previous acoustic-driven singles including Ploi Hai Tua Chan Pai, Chan Mai Keuy Roo and Plob. Here, frontman Parin sings about trying to salvage a dissipating romance. His airy vocals sound wistful as ever, not to mention painting a nice contrast to the hard rock edge of electric guitar riffs.
Disclosure/ Bang That
Two years after their critically acclaimed 2013 debut Settle, the British brotherly duo have done it again. Their new cut, Bang That, is a no-nonsense club banger featuring a vocal sample of 313 Bass Mechanics’ Pass Out. Unlike their pop-oriented, Sam Smith-assisted hit Latch, the track is a more immediate dancefloor anthem built on relentless techno and garage elements. It has the same urgency of When a Fire Starts to Burn, one of the standouts from Settle. According to the boys, this is not an official single. However they’ve assured us that their new album will be out some time this year.
Stereophonics/ C’est La Vie
Long-serving Welsh rock quartet Stereophonics have recently announced the release of their ninth studio record, Keep The Village Alive, a follow-up to 2013’s Graffiti On the Train. C’est La Vie serves as the album’s lead single, and it’s poised to become one of the strongest contenders for this year’s summer anthem. It’s a fun, infectious rock ’n’ roll jam that celebrates the carefree approach to life. “Hell and heaven, they can wait for you/So go and do all the things that you want to do/We don’t belong anywhere, so set me free/C’est la vie,” Kelly Jones sings exuberantly with a bit of punk-indie inflection in his tone. This is truly a return to form.
Ryan Adams/ I Do Not Feel Like Being Good
Included alongside two other tracks set to appear on Ryan Adams’ upcoming 7-inch single, I Do Not Feel Like Being Good is a contemplative lo-fi acoustic number that’s both charming and wistful. “Heavy eyes the colour grey/Falling to the sidewalk storm rising up between the grates/Slow cars snake in the night/The moon’s all fucked up and it crashes into the riverside,” the 40-year-old American singer-songwriter croons over the country-bluesy twang.
Paris Hilton (featuring Birdman)/ High Off My Love
The infamous socialite has taken a break from her DJ career to return to music, which results in this EDM behemoth called High Off My Love. As you can probably guess, the song combines elements of trap and EDM with a rap verse courtesy of Cash Money Records honcho Birdman. Taken for what it is, it’s a pretty decent dance jam clearly designed to annihilate dancefloors and festivals this summer. We caught a whiff of Britney Spears circa 2011’s Femme Fatale here and there, too. And speaking of which, this is still a little bit better than the hot mess that is Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea’s joint venture, Pretty Girls. n
