Róisín Murphy - Róisín Machine
Critic Score
Based on 21 reviews
2020 Ratings: #56 / 871
Year End Rank: #28
User Score
Based on 895 ratings
2020 Rank: #101
Liked by 111 people
October 2, 2020 / Release Date
LP / Format
Skint, BMG / Label
Nu-Disco, Disco / Genre
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
NME
The eccentric Irish icon’s dancefloor-ready record is her most euphoric yet, full of hedonistic singalong hits that will make you really, really miss the club.
100
The Arts Desk
You’re welcomed into Queen Róisín’s world, but never allowed to forget that it is hers. That said, the opulence of the music, the strength of her voice, the untold hooks, all delight constantly. From beginning to end, Murphy may be taking pleasure in her own majesterial presence but so can you.
100
Albumism

In short, Murphy hasn’t only just made her own “happy ending” as she sang, she has also managed to create a body of work that will bring her undoubtedly remarkable story in song to broader attention—Róisín’s Machine is an unequivocal triumph.

90
musicOMH
Accept no imitations, this album has some of the best electronic music you’ll hear all year.
90
AllMusic

From start to finish, Róisín Machine is cohesive and spellbinding. Murphy truly is a machine in her consistent creativity, and this is a particularly well-oiled example of her brilliance.

90
Loud and Quiet

It’s this emotional core that helps make Róisín Machine such a sweaty celebration of the dancefloor, its redeeming power making it well worth its lengthy gestation.

85
Spectrum Culture

An album that only Róisín Murphy could make, Róisín Machine is the product of a life milked to its fullest extent. Instead of ignoring shortcomings, it elongates them into swirling, hypnotic dance tracks that are just as suitable for the club as they are for days stuck at home, where restlessness brings out the strangest in us all.

80
Evening Standard

With Róisín Machine, she has merged singles released over a decade with brand new tracks into an iridescent, funky and entirely unique disco album.

80
Pitchfork
On her fifth solo album, the Irish singer finds a new role as a dancefloor truth-teller, infusing house and disco epics with thrilling expressions of desire, regret, and self-knowledge.
80
The Irish Times
An especially relevant album for these times: it’s a record that sounds great at home, but also begs to be heard loud, live and in a large room with other people.
80
FLOOD Magazine

Murphy has always produced bold art-pop albums with magnetic personality, but Róisín Machine is undeniably the most cohesive, least ambiguous statement she’s made. It’s a prescient remedy to contemporary woes and an addictively listenable collection of songs.

80
God Is in the TV
We may not have the option in 2020 to physically engage in the nightclub culture but accessing the powerful Roísín Murphy machine is the next best thing.
80
Crack Magazine

The album is decadent and indulgent at times and it only adds to the allure.

80
Uncut
Indeed, after 26 years as queen of the weirdo dancefloor, she's ever a curveball.
80
The Guardian
Pop outsider and lockdown living-room star Murphy distils her disco expertise and musical idiosyncrasies in songs pulsing with dancefloor power.
80
Exclaim!

Roísín Machine is among Murphy's best works, a showcase for one of dance music's most endlessly fascinating figures.

80
The Line of Best Fit
Though it sounds nothing like a mop-up exercise, if anything it’s her most consistent release to date, the music retaining its contemporary edge, this is music of the past, performed for the future.
80
DIY
Like Grace Jones, it’s clear Róisín isn’t one to follow trends. A maverick at home both in the disco as in the artist’s collective, she’s here to set them.
70
Clash
Paired with Roisin’s talent for house, funk, and experimental grooves, this is a bold and confident record with nothing to lose.
65
Beats Per Minute

So much of the album ... feels so stale, tedious, and sometimes devoid of anything deeply moving or intriguing, that the highlights are not quite enough to save the overall experience.

50
The Needle Drop
Róisín Murphy's disco throwback is hindered by some of its more leftfield elements.
Doublez
83

With Roisin Machine, the adjective "addiction" has never been more appropriate, it drips with bewitching energy and contagious melodies against a background of intense nostalgia. This new album is a phenomenal demonstration of the genius of Murphy's Queen of the Night, who at the age of 47 just gave herself her most brilliant work, and it was anything but easy given her remarkable discography.

I'm bluffed, I'm completely seduced, even worse I'm confused. What magical power does this ... read more

JacksonLerner
84

‘Róisín Machine’ seamlessly dazzles and transforms, all while shattering traditional art expectations; it puts together elements of dance pop and art-tech. this is more than house music.

part of me believes that ‘Róisín Machine’ is the record Róisín Murphy was born to make; another part thinks that record has yet to be made.

the opening hook of ‘Róisín Machine’ goes, “I feel my story’s ... read more

marvelgaryen
100

This album is a masterclass in nu-disco and pop music. Róisín Murphy in all her glory released something so good that only the greats can compare, even though is literally unmatched. She dares to travel beyond the sound, connecting directly to the listener's mind. The production exudes elegance and finesse, everything a real diva can provide to the audience, and she delivers on a silver platter. If Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia' is for beginners, Jessie Ware's 'What's Your ... read more

acidbb2
80

LATE REVIEW

Róisín Murphy's most nostalgic but boldest record to date. She sounds like Kylie but more mature, delivering an album that's clearly influenced by her sophomore effort Overpowered but a more convincing version of that.

Artificial
82

Some of the best Nu-Disco

PieceOfSausage
80

Album rating (By personal enjoyment✔️, Not by quality❗):
8/10
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The songs are somewhat unnecessarily long, but the album as a whole is a vibe
==========
Track ratings (By personal enjoyment✔️, Not by quality❗)
Simulation - 7.5/10
Kingdom of Ends - 7/10❌
Something More - 8/10⭐
Shellfish Mademoiselle - 8/10
Incapable - 8/10
We Got Together - 8/10
Murphy's Law - 8/10
Game Changer - 8/10
Narcissus - 7.5/10
Jealousy - 8/10
==========
Times I played the whole album: 1
Length: 54 ... read more

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Track List

1Simulation
8:29
86
2Kingdom of Ends
6:10
83
3Something More
6:49
88
4Shellfish Mademoiselle
4:17
82
5Incapable
3:45
86
6We Got Together
5:10
87
7Murphy's Law
6:21
91
8Game Changer
4:14
78
9Narcissus
4:55
89
10Jealousy
4:13
88
Total Length: 54 minutes
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Added on: July 30, 2020