Song of the Gay: Róisín Murphy - Gone Fishing

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. All this week we are celebrating Seattle Pride and PrideFest 2015 by featuring all LGBT artists for our "Song of the Gay" podcast. Today's featured song is "Gone Fishing" by Róisín Murphy from the 2015 album Hairless Toys on [PIAS].

Róisín Murphy - Gone Fishing (MP3)

The former voice of trip-hop tricksters Moloko, Róisín Murphy returns with her first solo album in eight years. With influences encompassing classic Casablanca Records, European house music, and the inimitable Grace Jones, Hairless Toys' minimalist grooves belie the drama of Murphy’s hushed vocals. According to Murphy, the mesmerizing opening cut “Gone Fishing” draws inspiration from one of the masterpieces of 20th century queer cinema:

This song was written after I watched the documentary film Paris Is Burning, having read an article which referenced it in a discussion about House music's origins in black, gay culture. I was deeply moved by this film... it's about the outcasts who could never fit into mainstream society and how they created a safe place in the drag "Ball" scene of New York in the '80s... The culture was a flamboyant reaction to persecution and disillusionment, the imagination and bravery of these kids is simply awe-inspiring. I envisioned "Gone Fishing" almost as a song from a Broadway musical version of this story. The making of one's own world, a safer world and the creation of a new, better family in music or youth culture is a theme I touch upon elsewhere on Hairless Toys.

Róisín Murphy has a full itinerary of live shows throughout Europe for the rest of the year, but unfortunately no dates are scheduled for the U.S. as of yet. Hopefully, if you keep looking on her website and Facebook page you'll find that your luck has changed with, if not local tour dates, some more new music and videos, like this recently released video for "Evil Eyes", also from the new album:

Tune in to KEXP all week to find out more about the Pride events happening around Seattle, including KEXP's Pride Party, this Sunday, June 28th, at 5 Point Café in downtown Seattle.