HERE COMES EVERYONE POST: Albums of the Decade - 2000

This album was the most commercially successful of Moloko’s four releases. However, whilst some of the derived singles achieved a certain amount of ubiquity in the afore mentioned year, throughout the decade this album seems to have declined in popularity towards partial obscurity. Certainly, this demise is not warranted in relation to the musical content. Here, Moloko present us with a curious diversity of instruments and a positive abundance of effects, both subtle and overt - from copious varieties of reverb and compression, to backward tape effects. Furthermore, the track lengths are also diverse, from “Keep Stepping” at 0.21 to “Sing it Back” at 9.20, which adds a supplementary degree of intrigue and staves off format monotony for the listener. The numerous musical styles contained within this album is also something to hail as impressive; through their 70 odd minutes, the band progress though versionings of acoustic, funk, electro, muzak, rock, pop, classical, and quasi through to full on dance. The literal space of the tracks is changeable too, with saturated, heavy tracks, to lonely, sparse songs and segways.
An additional virtue, Roisin Murphy’s voice is gorgeously broad with a slight raspy quality; sometimes soft, delicate and sensual, at others whining, taught, and penetratingly, twistingly percussive. She also has a notable range, which she regularly utilizes. Furthermore, the content of her vocals are typically accomplished; lyrically Moloko’s work here is strong. Whilst the dancier numbers may have a bit more repetition than the average indie listener can tolerate, most of this album is lyrically assorted and interesting.
This is a great album - a pure, fun little thing, which does not get the full recognition it deserves. This is not necessarily an album for everyone – it twists and turns so much that many may be disappointed with certain elements. It is however an album I have continued to return to, relish and enjoy for 10 years, and I feel it has many more juicy musical fruits to be unearthed by a wider audience.

Runner-up: Since I Left You by The Avalanches
Another 2000 group that have dismissed into (in this case complete) obscurity is The Avalanches, with Since I Left You being their only official release. This album perfectly examples how wonderfully subtle sample based music can be. Never heavy-handed or arrogant, throughout this album carefully selected samples are gorgeously fused in a heady ambient mix, wrapping you up in a soft, comfortable sonic blanket. The title track could be likened to aural Valium. There are additionally some competent dance tracks in the album’s midst, which are actually enjoyable to listen to as well get rhythmically involved in. Truly one of the sounds of 2000, if only because Sara Cox never stopped playing it on the breakfast show
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Also worthy of note:
Music by Madonna
Stankonia by OutKast

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