Product Description

'Ruby Blue' is the debut album by the voice of Moloko, Roisin Murphy. Produced by long-time collaborator Matthew Herbert, the album is an intriguing mix of electronica and disco house, whilst also incorporating elements of artists such as diverse as The Andrews Sisters and Cab Calloway into the mix. Includes the single 'If We're In Love'.

Track Listing

1. Leaving The City
2. Sinking Feeling
3. Night of the dancing Flame
4. Through Time
5. Sow into You
6. Dear Diary
7. If We’re in Love
8. Ramalama (Bang Bang)
9. Ruby Blue
10. Off on it
11. Prelude To Love in The Making
12. The Closing of the doors

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2916 in Music
• Released on: 2005-06-13
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
300 signed copies of Ruby Blue will be randomly allocated to customers buying from Amazon.co.uk. Solo albums are usually an opportunity for rock's egos to shed that excess baggage (ie: fellow musicians) and find new ways of pursuing their personal vision (ie: start making bland records). Not so with Ruby Blue, the debut solo album from Moloko vocalist Roisin Murphy. Recorded with sometime Björk collaborator Matthew Herbert, a sampling maverick with a skill for making the experimental palatable, tracks like "Sow Into You" and "Night Of The Dancing Flame" drop Murphy's honeyed purr in amongst a strange brew of fine-diced samples, twitchy bossanova, warm brass, and organic-feeling jazz hustle-and-bustle. Highlights are many: "Dear Diary" combines a passionate Northern Soul vibe with a lush, chill-out production; the blippy "Leaving The City" shows off the dizzying complexity of Herbert's production skill; and the elegiac, breathy piano ballad "The Closing Of The Door" ushers the album to a close with commendable elegance. Moloko fans may balk at the thought of Roisin playing away, but this mischievously inventive vacation justifies its existence - and then some. --Louis Pattison

Customer Reviews

Whacky Wonderland
Now that it's so affordable to build a really great music collection, the big challenge is - choosing the right albums. Very quickly you can find yourself with more than just a space problem; just how do you listen to it all? And what's really worth listening to again and again? Not to mention archiving it all alphabetically if you ever want to find your favourites again. Or does it simply come down to choosing from the ever-growing pile of discs that seems to live on top of your Hi-fi. Choose well when you buy the new stuff, and maybe you won't resent the time spent organizing your collection quite so much.
Which brings us to Ruby Blue. You know the voice; you probably remember when you first heard Moloko, around 2000. It was a fresh sound, different, exciting - and you probably bought Things to Do and Make. Well, why'd you buy? Did you want to feel a bit daring? Develop your slightly off-beat side? Couldn't get Sing it Back or Time is Now out of your head?
Now step forward in time - whatever you felt then probably applies now. More modern, endearingly quirky, and just oozing class. Buying this album feels deliciously risky; kinda like Pop - but not as we know it. And that is it's appeal: Pop as it might be, if it were not so drearily predictable.
Check out the tracks, it'll take you but a moment. Then, if it leaves you feeling open to possibility, go ahead and buy.
Go on. You know you want to.

Molokwho?
Listening to Roisin Murphy's solo debut it's hard to avoid wondering exactly what it was that Mark Brydon did in Moloko - no doubt the thought is unfair (and means Matthew Herbert is due some recognition for his work here), but Murphy's album exhibits just the same quirky inventiveness, put together with the same obsessive attention to multi-layered sonic detail, as the output of her former duo. The sound is more intimate and acoustic, on songs like 'Sow Into You' and 'If We're In Love' if not on the rockier and shoutier title track, and the lyrics more personal, but the sense of playful weirdness is gloriously intact. There's enough here for days of listening. Superb.

If you liked Moloko, then this is too good to be true!!!!!!!!!
Most people have no idea who Roisin Murphy is, and can barely even remember the legendary Moloko. It is frustrating then, that so many people still don't know of what could be one of their favourite albums. I was so thrilled when this album was out, that I'd get to hear more of her wonderful voice. Since the day I bought this via amazon, it has CHANGED MY LIFE.

Everytime I listen to this album it gets better and better. It is so unique and brilliantly different. An inspired return and new beginning, excellent production by Matthew Herbert, the album is perfect.

This kicks off with the sensational "Leaving the city", fast and jaw-dropping, yet it has no beat. There are no reminders of any old moloko material here, its all fresh and original, Roisin's divine voice sings over this unique glossy electronica. "Sinking Feeling" is as addictive as drugs. "Through time" puts me in a trance and an emotional rollercoaster, so good its unreal.

Not enough words can do justice to this album, each time I listen to this album I get taken on an incredible journey, which feels so good everytime. "Off on it" may take a short while to click, but apart from that the album will definitley leave you satisfied. Most songs are upbeat, melodic, dancey, catchy and delicious.

The pace is slowed down excitingly with the beautiful "Closing of the doors". I will never grow tired of this album, and will enjoy it more each time I hear it. Roisin Murphy and Matthew Herbert have been heroic with making such an amazing album, and it is a classic. Now in my top 3 favourite albums- ever!!!!

Immense pleasure everytime.