Ruby Blue

Previously the lead singer for B-list trip-hop act Moloko, Róisín Murphy is a red-haired Irish singer with the burnished pipes of a soul diva. On her solo debut Ruby Blue, she teams up with DJ-producer Matthew Herbert, whose mix of elegant horns and frisky beats constructed from handclaps, ringing alarm clocks, and other found sounds creates a thrilling backdrop for Murphy’s earthy vocals. ”If We’re in Love” is a swooning slice of light-stepping disco, while ”Through Time” is a beat-dusted soul lullaby that updates Carole King-style balladry for the laptop generation.