Newer Music:
Roisin Murphy : Roisin Machine and Crooked Machine
Irish artist Roisin Murphy has had a fascinating career spanning almost three decades; first as part of the electronic pop duo Moloko in the 90s and early 00s, and then as a solo artist working with a diverse group of collaborators, starting with her 2005 solo debut Ruby Blue recorded with fellow electronic producer Matthew Herbert to a recent project with The Vinyl Factory label and Baltimore house producer Maurice Fulton on a set of four 12” EPs.
Murphy released one the best dance music LPs of 2020 last October entitled Roisin Machine. That record collected several standout singles she’d released recently, including single of the year candidate Incapable and thrilling album opener Simulation. Roisin Machine earned deserved spots near the top of many year-end, best of 2020 lists released last year.
Last month, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Murphy was releasing Crooked Machine, a remix album featuring new versions of the entire Roisin Machine record. The Crooked Machine remix record was produced by Murphy friend and fellow producer Richard Barratt, AKA DJ Parrot and Crooked Man. Barratt and Murphy apparently met as part of the Sheffield electronic music scene in the early 90s and have stayed close ever since.
Both Roisin Machine and Crooked Machine are so much fun to listen to and have their own distinct appeal. Crooked Machine is out now on digital and will be released on vinyl in conjunction with the upcoming Record Store Day festivities on June 11. These records deserve and demand as loud a sound system as one can access, preferably a dark space crowded with fellow house music aficionados.
Standout Tracks: Incapable; Simulation; Something More; We Got Together; Kingdom Of Machines; Assimilation; Less Is More
Declan O’Rourke : Arrivals
I recently discovered this new album from the Irish folk singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke. Well-known in Ireland for almost two decades, O’Rourke’s music is finally garnering more attention in the UK and the US. Music legends John Prine (RIP) and Paul Weller are both long-time fans and collaborators with O’Rourke; in fact, Arrivals was produced by Weller.
This charming record features O’Rourke’s standout voice (a bit reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright) and gorgeous guitar and complementary string instrumentals. I am a sucker for a well-written, sentimental folky love song and it doesn’t get much better than album highlight The Stars Over Kinvara.
Standout Tracks: The Stars Over Kinvara; Andy Sells Coke; The Harbour; In Painter’s Light; This Thing We Share; Arrivals
Andy Stott : Never The Right Time
The Manchester-based Stott has been releasing interesting experimental electronic music for well over a decade now. He recently put out new record filled with his trademark mix of intense, chopped-up beats contrast with the delicate, beautiful vocals of longtime collaborator Alison Skidmore. The standout title track is the perfect representation of Stott’s dark, complex sound—equal parts haunting and enticing.
Standout Tracks: Never The Right Time; Don’t Know How; The Beginning; Answers; Hard To Tell
El Michels Affair : Yeti Season
Another project that is part of the continuing contemporary soul revival movement led by many acts with connections to Daptone Records (Menahan Street Band, Budos Band, etc.), El Michels Affairs is a loose music collective led by Brooklyn-based bandleader and multi-instumentalist Leon Michels. The project gained notoriety primarily for two tribute cover albums of beloved Wu-Tang Clan record Enter the Wu-Tang (36th Chamber).
Their new album Yeti Season combines their typical instrumental soul sound with elements of Turkish pop, including some vocals from Hindi singer Piya Malik. The results are a breezy, addicting listen likely to soundtrack many a post-vaccine gathering this summer.
Standout Tracks: Sha Na Na; Murkit Gem; Fazed Out; Ala Vida; Unathi
Throwback Selection:
Pernice Brothers : The World Won’t End
There are a surprising number of truly great albums from the 90s and 00s that have never once been pressed on vinyl, or were only pressed in very small quanitites. One of those was this 2001 classic by Pernice Brothers, a member of the Criminally Underrated Music Act Hall of Fame. It is truly depressing to compare spotify stream numbers for albums like this compared to those of more mediocre, derivative, manufactured, and soulless offerings. Shame on all of us.
In the late 90s and 00s, the Pernice Brothers crafted some of the most earnest, life-affirming indie rock around. Album highlights Working Girls and She Heightened Everything are perfect examples of genius-level pop songwriting. I’ve yet to see Pernice Brothers live and I would gladly travel just for the sole purpose of changing that.
I was pleased to recently contribute to a campaign to repress The World Won’t End on vinyl so more fans can get their hands on a copy. The campaign was successful, so I am giddy to be able to support this awesome band AND get my hands on this new repress of this record later this year. There are still plenty of great Pernice Brothers album that need a vinyl press or repress, including their brilliant Sub Pop debut Overcome by Happiness. Hopefully that will happen in the coming years; in the meantime, let’s bump up those Pernice Brothers streaming stats!
Standout Tracks: Working Girls; She Heightened Everything; Bryte Side; Let That Show; 7:30; Shaken Baby
More Related Music You Should Also Check Out: Moloko : Catalogue; Rufus Wainwright : Want One; Wu-Tang Clan : Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers); Pernice Brothers : Overcome by Happiness
