Róisín Machine

Róisín Machine is the fifth solo studio album by Irish singer Róisín Murphy, released on 2 October 2020 by Skint Records. Róisín Machine received critical acclaim upon its release, ranking among the best albums of 2020 by several publications. Commercially, Róisín Machine became Murphy's highest-charting album in both Ireland and the UK, debuting at number 5 and number 14 respectively.

Róisín Machine
Studio album by
Róisín Murphy
Released2 October 2020 (2020-10-02)
Recorded2012–2020
Genre
Length54:27
Label
ProducerRichard Barratt
Róisín Murphy chronology
Take Her Up to Monto
(2016)		 Róisín Machine
(2020)
Singles from Róisín Machine
  1. "Simulation"
    Released: 24 August 2012
  2. "Jealousy"
    Released: 30 March 2015
  3. "Incapable"
    Released: 5 June 2019
  4. "Narcissus"
    Released: 8 November 2019
  5. "Murphy's Law"
    Released: 4 March 2020
  6. "Something More"
    Released: 31 July 2020

Background

According to an Official Charts Company interview with Murphy in 2020, work began on what would become Róisín Machine a decade prior.[3] "Simulation" was the first track on the record to be made, produced by her long-term collaborator Richard Barratt (also known as DJ Parrot and Crooked Man), and released in 2012.[4] In 2015, she released "Jealousy", also produced by Barratt.[5] Both were released as standalone tracks and did not appear on her subsequent studio album, Hairless Toys (2015), or its successor, Take Her Up to Monto (2016).[6] Following these releases, Murphy continued to collaborate with Barratt, working in "drips and drabs over the years",[3] on projects that would later develop into a full studio album.[5]

Murphy later signed a one-album recording contract with Skint Records and its parent label BMG, having been persuaded by Skint's creative director Damian Harris.[3] Commenting on the deal, Murphy said: "BMG also have my publishing, so they're probably quite interested in solidifying my legacy, and so am I, as it goes. It's only for the one album—they wanted to sign me for more and I had to play a bit of hard ball and I wanted to keep my options open."[3]

In 2019, Murphy released "Incapable", a further collaboration with Barrett, which was billed as another one-off release.[7] Speaking to the Sheffield Star, Murphy said: "You just get a bit of a burst every now and again. It's an insatiable machine, now, isn't it—content, and music. You've just got to keep feeding it and it's just about manageable with one-off singles."[7] Murphy had written "Incapable" in 2010, following her breakup from artist Simon Henwood, nine months after their daughter was born.[5]

A departure from the art pop, trip hop, and bossa nova influences of her previous works, Róisín Machine marks a turn into dance-oriented club music. The album features influences of disco, nu-disco, house, electropop, funk, post-disco, electro-R&B, Chicago house, dub, wonky pop, and minimal funk.[8][6] The album's songs reject traditional pop structures in a manner similar to vintage disco 12-inch singles.[9]

Release and promotion

Murphy announced the forthcoming release of Róisín Machine on 31 July 2020, with pre-orders made available that day.[10][11] Originally planned for release on 25 September, Murphy announced in mid-September that due to manufacturing delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Róisín Machine would instead be released one week later, on 2 October.[12]

Physically, Róisín Machine was produced in CD and vinyl formats.[13] In addition to the standard vinyl pressing, a transparent blue vinyl limited to 2,500 copies was also produced, retailing exclusively on Murphy's website.[14] The limited edition vinyl package also included a specially produced zine and signed photograph.[15]

In promotion of the album, Murphy appeared on The Graham Norton Show on 2 October, performing "Murphy's Law".[16] Industry title Music Week noted her appearance on the chat show amid record labels vying for reduced music performance slots, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on television programming.[16] Murphy also performed "Incapable" on Jools' Annual Hootenanny on New Year's Eve 2020, in a live version with the Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.[17]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.2/10[18]
Metacritic86/100[19]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[20]
The Arts Desk[21]
DIY[22]
Exclaim!8/10[23]
The Guardian[24]
i[25]
The Irish Times[26]
Loud and Quiet9/10[27]
NME[28]
Pitchfork8.0/10[1]

Róisín Machine has received critical acclaim and currently holds a weighted average score of 86 out of 100 at review aggregator Metacritic, based on 13 reviews.[19] The Irish Times critic Lauren Murphy called the album "disco dynamite",[26] while Metro reviewer David Bennun described the album as "the mother lode, the cornucopia, the phantasmagoria, of lovingly reconditioned disco pop".[29] In a positive review, The Arts Desk referred to the album as a "musical homecoming for Róisín Murphy, both geographically and figuratively,"[21] noting the album's production with her longtime collaborator, Sheffield based Richard Barratt, whom Murphy first met while beginning her career as a musician in the city.

Writing for The Guardian, Alexis Petridis described Róisín Machine as "a sharper, more focused album than 2016's Take Her Up to Monto; one which reins in some, but not all, of its author's eccentricities [...] Certainly, it allows Murphy's talents to shine far more clearly than its sprawling predecessor."[24] Gianni Borrelli of Australia's 7NEWS praised the album for "pushing past the standard four-on-the-floor fare" on tracks "Game Changer" and "Kingdom of Ends", calling Róisín Machine "a career best of shimmering nu-disco she's been perfecting for the last decade".[30] Audio publication MusicNGear listed Róisín Machine as one of the best albums of 2020 describing it as "a luxuriously synthesized, intergalactic trip into deep space." [31]

Year-end lists
Critics' rankings for Róisín Machine
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Albumism The 100 Best Albums of 2020
1
[32]
BBC The Best Albums and Songs of 2020 N/A
[33]
Crack The Top 50 Albums of 2020
28
[34]
The Fader The 50 best albums of 2020
16
[35]
God Is in the TV Albums of The Year for 2020
2
[36]
The Guardian The 50 best albums of 2020
11
[37]
The Independent The 40 best albums of 2020
16
[38]
Louder Than War Albums of the Year 2020 - Top 50
19
[39]
musicOMH musicOMH’s Top 50 Albums Of 2020
1
[40]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2020
17
[41]
The Quietus Quietus Albums Of The Year 2020
59
[42]
The Skinny Top 10 Albums of 2020
10
[43]
Wonderland The Best Albums of 2020 N/A
[44]
MusicNGear Goodbye 2020: A Lookback At Some of Our Favourite Albums N/A [31]

Commercial performance

In Murphy's native Ireland, Róisín Machine debuted at number 5 on the Irish Albums Chart, becoming her highest-charting album as both a solo artist or as part of Moloko.[45] In the UK, Róisín Machine entered the Official Album Charts at number 14 with 4,724 units sold,[46][47] securing Murphy her highest-charting album as a solo artist,[46] surpassing 2015's Hairless Toys, which peaked at number 19.[48]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Róisín Murphy and Richard Barratt, except where noted.

Róisín Machine track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Simulation"
  • Murphy
  • Barratt
  • Michael Ward
8:29
2."Kingdom of Ends" 6:10
3."Something More"
  • Amy Douglas
  • Murphy
  • Barratt
6:49
4."Shellfish Mademoiselle" 4:17
5."Incapable" 3:45
6."We Got Together" 5:10
7."Murphy's Law"
6:21
8."Game Changer" 4:14
9."Narcissus" 4:55
10."Jealousy" 4:13
Total length:54:27
Deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Incapable" (Extended Mix) 8:25
12."Narcissus" (Extended Mix) 7:40
13."Murphy's Law" (Extended Mix)
  • Murphy
  • Barratt
  • Honer
  • Ward
8:00
14."Something More" (Extended Mix)
  • Douglas
  • Murphy
  • Barratt
7:56
15."Simulation" (Extended Mix)
  • Murphy
  • Barratt
  • Ward
11:37
16."Jealousy" (Extended Mix) 11:39
Total length:1:49:47

Notes

  • "Jealousy" contains uncredited elements of "New York's Movin'", written by Osborne Hunter and Steve Boston, and performed by Ahzz.

Charts
Chart performance for Róisín Machine
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[49] 53
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[50] 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[51] 25
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[52] 142
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[53] 58
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[54] 24
Irish Albums (OCC)[55] 5
Irish Independent Albums (IRMA)[56] 1
Scottish Albums (OCC)[57] 10
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[58] 26
UK Albums (OCC)[59] 14
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[60] 2

Release history
Release dates and formats for Róisín Machine
Region Date Format Editions Label Ref.
Various 2 October 2020
  • Standard
  • deluxe
[61]
 Standard [62]

References
  1. Dorris, Jesse (5 October 2020). "Róisín Murphy: Róisín Machine Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  2. Hull, Tom (6 October 2020). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  3. Copsey, Rob (25 September 2020). "Roisin Murphy talks new album Roisin Machine, solidifying her legacy and plans to retire from music". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  4. Vincentelli, Elisabeth (17 September 2020). "Róisín Murphy, a Disco Queen Ruling Her Own Galaxy". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  5. O'Connor, Roisin (27 September 2020). "Róisín Murphy: 'Basically, I'm JG Ballard sex-pop'". The Independent. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  6. Todd, Chris (28 September 2020). "Róisín Murphy retains her crown on a masterful fifth album". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  7. Blackledge, Richard (25 June 2019). "Róisín Murphy: 'Music's an insatiable machine – you've got to keep feeding it'". The Star. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  8. Harrison, Quentin (30 September 2020). "Róisín Murphy's Musical Magnetism Is Irrefutable on Career Watershed 'Róisín Machine' Album Review". albumism. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  9. Devlin, Ben (29 September 2020). "Róisín Murphy – Róisín Machine". musicOMH. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  10. Richards, Will (31 July 2020). "Róisín Murphy announces details of new album 'Róisín Machine'". NME. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  11. Schatz, Lake (31 July 2020). "Róisín Murphy Announces New Album Róisín Machine, Shares Aching Single "Something More"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  12. Kenneally, Cerys (15 September 2020). "Róisín Murphy delays album due to "manufacturing delays around COVID-19"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  13. Middleton, Ryan (31 July 2020). "Róisín Murphy Details New Album 'Róisín Machine', Shares Single "Something More"". Magnetic Magazine. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
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  15. "'Róisín Machine' Limited Edition Set". Cool Hunting. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
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