by Bill Pearis
Former Moloko singer Roisin Murphy hasn’t released an album since 2007’s Overpowered. After making appearances on other producers’ singles (including an appearance on the Here Lies Love album) and other one-offs, she returned last year with Mi Senti, an EP of Italian language disco. Roisin is now fully back, with a new album, Hairless Toys, which is out May 11 via Play it Again Sam. Roisin talks a little about the inspiration behind the new album:
This song was written after I watched the documentary film Paris Is Burning, having read an article which referenced it in a discussion about House music’s origins in black, gay culture. I was deeply moved by this film. ‘I had to run this far from home’ – it’s about the outcasts who could never fit into mainstream society and how they created a safe place in the drag ‘Ball’ scene of New York in the ’80s. ‘Will we live on? The children of La Beija’ refers to the ‘house’ of Pepper La Beija, who was one of the most notable figures on the scene, Pepper is also quoted in Malcolm McLaren’s song on the same subject ‘Deep In Vogue’. The culture was a flamboyant reaction to persecution and disillusionment, the imagination and bravery of these kids is simply awe-inspiring. I envisioned ‘Gone Fishing’ almost as a song from a Broadway musical version of this story. The making of one’s own world, a safer world and the creation of a new, better family in music or youth culture is a theme I touch upon elsewhere on my album Hairless Toys.
“Gone Fishing” opens the album and you can stream it, along with the “In Sentisi” video (from Mi Senti) and a couple old ones, below.
Roisin’s last NYC show was during CMJ 2008. Let’s hope she tours North America this year. UK and European dates have been announced and all are listed below.
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Roisin Murphy – Hairless Toys tracklist:
01 Gone Fishing
02 Evil Eyes
03 Exploitation
04 Uninvited Guest
05 Exile
06 House of Glass
07 Hairless Toys (Gotta Hurt)
08 Unputdownable
Róisín Murphy – IN SINTESI (Psychemagik Remix) from Roisin Murphy on Vimeo.
Róisín Murphy – 2015 Tour Dates
05-16 London, England – Roundhouse
05-22 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
05-23 Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique
05-24 Mannheim, Germany – Maifield Derby
05-30 Hamburg, Germany – Große Freiheit 36
05-31 Berlin, Germnay – Berlin Festival
06-19 Barcelona, Spain – Sonar Festival
06-26 Werchter, Belgium – The Barn
09-05 Dublin, Ireland – Electric Picnic
09-13 Isle of Wight, England – Bestival