Moloko
Mark Brydon
Production
Róisín Murphy
Vocals
Formed: 1994
Location: Sheffield, England
Genre: Dance, Trip Hop, House
Years Active: 1995 - 2003
Meaning of the Name: Moloko is Russian for milk.
Way of Working: Collaborative
Labels: Echo Records
Location: Sheffield, England
Genre: Dance, Trip Hop, House
Years Active: 1995 - 2003
Meaning of the Name: Moloko is Russian for milk.
Way of Working: Collaborative
Labels: Echo Records
Essential Releases
Do You Like My
Tight Sweater? (1995)
Quirky debut album that combines various electronic styles for fun times.
Statues (2003)
Deeply personal final album about a relationship in its final stages.
In 1994, Sheffield was already a powerhouse of electronic music, home to the groundbreaking Warp Records and bands like The Human League. In this hotbed of sound, a new group was about to make its own contribution to the city's legacy. Moloko was born when a 21-year-old Irish immigrant, Róisín Murphy, sang over her then boyfriend Mark Brydon's beats.
It would be easy to consider Brydon, who was twelve years older and established in the music industry as the group's leader, but Moloko was a creative and romantic partnership from the start. Their debut record takes its name from the chat-up line Murphy used to pull Brydon: "Do you like my tight sweater? See how it fits my body?" They recorded for the first time that very night.
Despite having a fondness for four on the floor dance music, their willingness to experiment created an inaugral LP full of playful elements: Funky house, electronic pop, G-funk, and deep vocals located somewhere between singing and rapping. When the press deemed it trip hop they were aghast. The deep basslines of seductive tracks like 'Day for Night' were inspired by Brydon's old acid-jazz group, Cloud Nine, instead of acts like Massive Attack.
'The Time Is Now' and other hit singles were successful commercially, but not nearly as interesting as projects like Statues (2003). Recorded while heartbroken, the album publicly documents the end of their romantic relationship and only exists because of contractual obligations. Statues, as the name suggests, came about when the pair were frozen in time.
The result was a disconnected LP recorded separately. Succeeding artistically due to this very distance, Statues combines upbeat funky disco with contemplative, at times forlon lyrics. Singing on 'Forever More', "This life is so empty. There is nobody to love me", Róisín Murphy's lamentations are contrasted with jubilant horns.
It's understandable that some listeners wouldn't like the album for the same reason I do. However, I find it effective precisely because it's jarring. Much like their romantic life, the pieces no longer fit. 'The Only Ones' illustrates this separation further with its very title. They aren't a couple as they used to be, but 'ones' - two individuals.
Nonetheless, as a creative force, Moloko made innovative, genre stretching music that accurately reflected the emotional lives of the people involved. From goofy fun to disjointed curtain call, they should be respected as a group who always wore their hearts on their sleeves.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
60
Mental Impact
55
Originality
85
Artistry
65
Authenticity
90
Live
70
Production
80
Musicianship
70
Singing
75
Songwriting
85
Danceability
85
Fun
90
Consistency
65
Range
80
Cool
45
Charisma
50
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards
Certifications >>>
- Do You Like My Tight Sweater? - Silver in the UK
- Things to Make and Do - Platinum in the UK
- Statues - Silver in the UK
Charts >>>
- Things to Make and Do - Number 3 in the UK
- Statues - Number 1 in Belgium
