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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
12:28 PM 15th May 2015
arts

Album Review: Roisin Murphy - Hairless Toys (PIAS)

 
It is over 8 years since Roisin Murphy released an album, in that time she has started a family but has now gone back into the recording studio to record this new album.

If you were expecting anything along the lines of her most famous hit, Sing It Back, the track she recorded when she was the lead singer of Moloko then you will be disappointed as all the tracks on the album are sparse, minimalist songs which rely more on atmosphere and ambience rather than songs with a melodic structure.

Most of the tracks are over 5 minutes long too. Evil Eyes has a touch of 1980's production on the track with its stabbing synth lines and her ambient softly sung vocals Exploitation is an 8 minute abstract track that needs several listens before you get hooked whilst Uninvited Guest is another of those tracks that has more of a jazz structure than a pop mode.

The title track Hairless Toys could be a latter day Kate Bush song. There are plenty of bare bones here so to speak and you could imagine some of the tracks being brought to life with a dance mix.

3 out of 5.