'Overpowered' trades the iconoclastic leftfield production of Matthew Herbert that saw Roisin Murphy's debut solo album 'Ruby Blue' cruelly marginalised instead tripping the light fantastic, coming over as an album that seethes sex appeal from every pore with dance tracks that don't so much flirt and cavort as want to exchange bodily fluids. Enlisting the ultra-hip production assistance of Seiji (Bugz in the Attic), Andy Cato (Groove Armada), Richard X, Jimmy Douglass, (the boy) Ill Factor, and Parrot & Dean ensure that this album does for Roisin what 'Supernature' did for Goldfrapp, embracing Roisin's love of the dance-floor and glamour. Roisin retains very bit of the sexy Siren's voice, oozing a gorgeous honeyed appeal lending sass and glamour to the dance tracks with a tasty songbook of the rigours of love in a post post-modern world.
The housey title track 'Overpowered' utilises warbly synth alongside that most hallowed of dance tools - the Roland 303 sequencer, for a squelchy tune that goes about explaining the difficulties of split-ups as the science book tells "...oxytoxins flowing ever into my brain...alien feelings/ we have to accept..." and the angel delight chorus - "...when I think that I'm over you/ I'm overpowered..." The poppy 'You Know Me Better' charts Moloko-esque dance-funk with the anthemic chorus - "...you know me better than I know myself...", whilst 'Let Me Know' blends 80's dance act Imagination synth lines to fashion an old-skool house twist.
'Movie Star' loops a dirty glam-house line with Euro-pop clash ala Goldfrapp X Eurythmics espousing the indie/home-movie ethos of getting it on - "...we'll make a movie/ you'll be director/ and I'll be a movie star..." and who knows whether this movie will make for fame or shame, whilst The Tom Tom Club prove inspiration for the pop blitz of 'Footprints' replete with squeaky vintage synths and disco-pop cheesiness. 'Dear Miami' acknowledges the dance mecca with The Knife crispness of synths and a slow groove with a good shuffle factor as the merry-go-round sinks into the sea under the burning sun; yet the dance stand-out 'Cry Baby' unbattens the hatches for the serotonin-rush of the Giorgio Moroder-esque sonic attack like a tune from Eric Morillo's flight case.
Herbert-like sound samples "dom dom dom" prop the clunk-funk of 'Checkin' Up On Me' "... I just want to dance forever/ and you want to take that from me..." confront the jealous and suspicious heart, and 'Tell Everybody' adopts male "bo bo" vocal samples to minimal effect for a sexy late night tune - "...tell everybody you're I'm your lady/ tell everybody it's not changing...", whilst the human critter provokes the philosophical musings of 'Primitive' - "...we are animal by another name/ out of the primordial soup we came..." and brings cages into the equation to sex-up this muted tune like Blondie crossed with Trio ('Da Da Dar' ) - "...I'm gonna let you out of your cage and set you free...you are animal/ not so deep inside...", and the feminine 'Scarlet Ribbons' forms the closing George Michael reflective moment with Roisin's diva delivery - "...what becomes of a father's love...I'll always be a little girl...".
Roisin is always more than a cool and sexy Elaine Page, and here that Siren's voice fuses with the dance production to startling effect. 'Overpowered' owns a fair share of the hedonistic charge that is reflected in the spontaneous and energetic workings of its' conception and ultra-slick execution. 'Overpowered' forms no less than the sexiest dance release of '07, no challengers.
by Mark Perlaki
Tags: Roisin Murphy
Roisin Murphy - 'Overpowered' (EMI) Released 15/10/07
'Overpowered' comes over as an album that seethes sex appeal from every pore with dance tracks that don't so much flirt and cavort as want to exchange bodily fluids...
