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Róisín Murphy (UK)
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March 18, 20:00
YotaSpace 
 During her time as the frontwoman of Moloko and throughout her solo career, Róisín Murphy made a name for herself as a purveyor of adventurous, omnivorous pop that blended influences as far-flung as disco and hot jazz. Born in Dublin, Murphy moved from Ireland to Manchester, England with her family when she was 12, and remained there even after her parents returned to Dublin four years later. On her own at 16, Murphy had no aspirations to sing until she met producer Mark Brydon, with whom she formed the eclectic electronic pop duo Moloko. The pair's stylish yet quirky sound scored them several hits, including "Sing It Back," "The Time Is Now," and "Fun for Me." By the time of Moloko's fourth album, 2002's Statues, Murphy and Brydon's personal and professional relationships were strained, and Moloko called it a day after completing the tour supporting that album. Murphy moved to London and began working with forward-thinking electronic producer Matthew Herbert, who had previously worked on a remix of "Sing It Back" with Moloko. He encouraged Murphy to bring typically non-musical items like notebooks into the studio and use them in musical ways; the results were first released as three limited-edition vinyl EPs, Sequins #1, Sequins #2, and Sequins #3. In 2005, Moloko's label, Echo, released the EPs as the full-length album Ruby Blue. In spring 2006, Ruby Blue was released in the U.S. Overpowered, which featured productions by Bugz in the Attic and Groove Armada members and some of Murphy's most pop-oriented songs to date, arrived in late 2007.
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, she issued a string of singles, EPs, and collaborations, starting with 2009's garage-house single "Demon Lover" (which was released the same day Murphy announced she was pregnant with her first child). "Orally Fixated," another collaboration with Bugz in the Attic's Seiji, arrived that November, and "Momma's Place" followed in January 2010. That year, she also made guest appearances on Crookers' album Tons of Friends and David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's collaboration Here Lies Love. In 2011, she worked with the Dutch DJ Mason, singer/actor Tony Christie, and the Feeling. She returned in 2012 with a trio of singles: the David Morales-produced "Golden Era" in May, the sleekly disco-tinged "Simulation" in August, and "Flash of Light," a collaboration with Luca C & Brigante, in October. Over the next two years, she worked with producers including Boris Dlugosch, Hot Natured, and Freeform, and also released the EP Mi Senti, a collection of Italian-language songs inspired by singers such as Mina. Late in 2014, "Invisions" -- another collaboration with Luca C & Brigante -- arrived.
On 16 February 2015, she revealed on her SoundCloud page the first track from her third studio album, titled Hairless Toys, her first in eight years. Hairless Toys was a more personal set of songs drawing inspiration from sources including Paris Is Burning, the 1990 documentary of New York City's ball culture and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender people who created it. The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize as well as Ireland's Choice Music Prize. Of the record, Murphy wrote: "There was a desire to make an unquestionably refined record. It’s multi layered, electronic and live instrumentation, musically it goes to places most pop music never does. It’s emotionally bare and laced with irony. I definitely didn’t set out to make something unique per-se but [...] it really is like nothing you’ve ever heard before. So it’s impossible to describe except to say..it’s heartfelt." Murphy returned in 2016 with Take Her Up to Monto, which she recorded with Eddie Stevens during the Hairless Toys sessions. Shortly after the album's July release, she staged a show at London's famed Globe Theatre.
Róisín Murphy is no stranger to innovative, enthralling pop sounds. From her haunting ballad “Ramalama (Bang Bang)” to the 2007 musical time capsule “Overpowered”, Murphy adds new surprises to her sound with each successive album. That trend continues with "Take Her Up to Monto", the Irish singer incorporating a surprising, refreshing array of genres and influences. However, the album features a dissonance that can’t be ignored. While other artists build up to approachability, Murphy was at her most accessible on her soulful debut album, 2005’s "Ruby Blue". Over the years, her sound has been molded into a more eccentric, unique artistry. This, in turn, created a niche that decidedly isn’t for everyone. Her albums definitely command a time and place, even if at times that may alienate some listeners. Murphy embarked on an eight-year hiatus following her sophomore release, "Overpowered". That return, last year’s "Hairless Toys", leaned on crisp, futuristic production and danceable melodies that all meshed together expertly. Not to be content with that one comeback album, those sessions garnered enough material for two albums. On the back half of those songs, Murphy attempts to continue the momentum propelled by her most innovative release. With a title drawn from the classic Irish ballad of the same name, "Take Her Up to Monto" aims to transform the traditional — after all, Murphy has gradually moved farther and farther away from more conventional sounds.
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