Released: 30 April 2021
Rating: ****
Róisín Murphy’s ‘Róisín Machine’ era was a highlight of 2020 – and the album itself is only half the story.
The Top 20 LP features a handful of hits including Something More, Narcissus and Simulation, each of which came with an array of alternate mixes, from extended cuts to dub edits, whetting our appetite for her new album ‘Crooked Machine’.
Released April 30, the album features nine tracks, crafted from the original recordings featured on ‘Róisín Machine’
However, ‘Crooked Machine’ doesn’t follow the formula we’ve come to expect from remix albums – not least of all because production is left solely to Richard Barratt.
Per his vision, instead of bold, brash edits, the mixes on ‘Crooked Machine’ are instead darker, seedier and more intimate than Róisín’s original release.
If ‘Róisín Machine’ offers a more timeless dancefloor vibe, ‘Crooked Machine’ leans closer into modern house and trance sensibilities, rooted firmly in underground club territory.
And that comes as no surprise; Barratt aka DJ Parrot – working here under his Crooked Man alias – is a legend on the UK underground music scene, a member of Sweet Exorcist, and a close friend and inspiration of Róisín’s since the 1990s.
So if ‘Róisín Machine’ is the embellished story of their long-standing musical affiliation, ‘Crooked Machine’ cuts to the core of their relationship, combining the singer’s finest hooks from the LP with dense, heavy beats, creating the perfect afterparty to the main event.
The liberties taken highlight the strength of Murphy and Barratt’s relationship; that she’s happy for him to dissect her work to fulfil his own vision is a testament to their bond.
It manifests in different ways, sometimes with straightforward hooks layered with dub beats (Game Changer/Name Change), while other more experimental takes see separate tracks playing off one another for an altogether different experience (We Got Together and Murphy’s Law/We Are The Law).
Fortunately, the finished products are unique enough that both albums can co-exist without shunning the other.
It’s for that reason ‘Crooked Machine’ is such a triumph, building the original idea while allowing new listeners in without requiring them to have studied the ‘Róisín Machine’ album at length.
And while showcasing his efforts as a producer, Barratt ensures Róisín – and the core song – is central to each cut.
It often feels like Róisín’s contribution to modern pop is overlooked, but do so at your peril – if this era’s taught us anything it’s that, three decades into her career, Róisín Murphy remains at the top of her game.
‘Crooked Machine’ is more than a remix album, it’s a creative triumph and the perfect album to take us back into the night as the world opens up again.
‘Crooked Machine’ debuts on digital platforms on April 30. A limited vinyl release will drop on Record Store Day.
