One record at a time: 263. Róisín Murphy - Róisín Machine

Having released two albums of rather esoteric material, I wasn't sure what to expect from Murphy's "Róisín Machine". However, the one thing I wasn't expecting was a collection of funky house grooves that would outclass everything else I heard in 2020. 

I own the limited edition double blue vinyl which is sealed in a black plastic bag along with a signed photo, sticker and 'zine'. When it came time to write this post I decided not to open the record and keep it as a sealed collector's item. Instead, I purchased a copy of the "splatter" Album Day edition to play. This is not as extravagant as it sounds because it was relatively cheap on eBay and I had been tempted to buy a second copy before.

Opening track "Simulation" is a relentless house groove that I find simply mesmerising. I used to listen to this song whilst running during the COVID 'lockdowns' and its relentless nature would propel me along no matter how tired I was. I would give anything to be able to write a groove this brilliant and hypnotic. With this first song, producer Crooked Man instantly proves his genius is equal to that of Róisín.

"Kingdom of Endz" is an amazing synth driven track on which Murphy sings the most brilliant harmonies as the kick drum pounds out the beat. I love the synth chords on this track and its constant cycle of build and release really satisfies. "Something More" is a slightly more laid back groove which feels it has more of a song structure but is no less marvellous. The next rack "Shellfish Mademoiselle" is a little more derivative, but the quirky bassline rescues it from mediocrity.

Another favourite of mine is "Incapable" which utilises a seemingly incessant loop to create another mesmerising slab of electronic genius. I really don't understand how it is possible to loop the same two bars for three and a half minutes and make the music sound better and better. To top things off Róisín delivers a heartfelt vocal where she reflects on the breakdown of a relationship.

"We Got Together" has a little bit of grit that means its groove really thunders along. "Murphy's Law" is one of few tracks that has a more traditional song structure and references disco directly. There's more of a a swing beat on "Game Changer" which elevates it to something slightly more wistful than the songs we have heard to this point. The disco theme is continued by "Narcissus" with its string arrangement and fluid bassline. To ensure we finish on a high note Róisín rolls out the funk of "Jealousy" which comes replete with chicken scratch guitars and a pseudo-horn section. I really wish Róisín made more records like this. 4/5