2007: number 5

Róisín Murphy
Overpowered
Once the female half of the techno duo Moloko, who found fame with club anthem “Sing It Back” some odd years ago, Irish songstress Róisín Murphy reintroduced herself as a solo act with the 2005 release of Ruby Blue, a complex, interesting and highly entertaining album that unfortunately was met with meager sales – the only time I heard lead track “Ramalama (Bang Bang)” anywhere besides my ipod was on, yes, an episode of So You Think You Can Dance. In 2006 she signed with EMI and earlier this year released Overpowered, an album decidedly less, well, quirky than her last, but with poppier beats and smoother, disco-infused electronics that give it a slight edge over its predecessor. “Overpowered”, “Know Me Better” and “Cry Baby” are all standout tracks, but the real reward here - and one of my favorite songs of '07 - is “Dear Miami”, a slightly downtempo showcase for both Murphy’s voice and for the album’s topnotch production.