Róisín Murphy’s sixth studio album Hit Parade is an experimental collaboration with German techno and house producer DJ Koze. Although it was created remotely over a six-year period, this 13 track record feels best suited to a loud, packed club with its deep, bouncy bass lines and building techno loops. But despite its escapist feeling, Murphy considers heavy themes throughout, referencing dystopian stories by JG Ballard and the idea of free will. 

Track one, ‘What Not To Do’, tempts us into the fun house with its hypnotic beat and repeated hooks that seem to circle around at a dizzying frequency. The depth of sound in this track, and throughout the album, is a testament to DJ Koze’s production, which elevates the sometimes-diluted melodies to cinematic heights. Next we burst into the fuzzy, soul-tinged ‘CooCool’ (the album’s biggest single). It’s no surprise this track has racked up millions of streams already, with its catchy eponymous chorus line and movement-inducing groove. By far the most pop-influenced in the mix, we hear safe harmonies and sunny horns shine through in this track, unlike in the following ‘Fader’ and ‘Hurtz So Bad’, which feature topline melodies in slightly different keys that create the illusion of something being off kilter. 

Into the album’s more forgettable half, housey drums swell in track nine ‘You Knew’ while ‘Can’t Replicate’ gradually builds into a satisfying beat drop and memorable hook. The trap-influenced ‘Two Ways’ provides an interesting gear shift with its unwound melodies and frenetic sampling that fade into the brain-cooling introduction of the album’s final track ‘Eureka’. 

Although made from a place of admirable creative freedom, Hit Parade veers into self-indulgence and exploration rather than innovation. Parts of this record’s sonic palette match its otherworldly themes, but as a whole, it trips over its far-reaching ideas and becomes a patchwork of sounds we’ve heard before. 

Hit Parade is released by Ninja Tune on Friday 8 September.