An eight-year gap between albums kept Róisín Murphy mostly out of the limelight while she concentrated on family, one-off singles and a range of collaborations, including one with David Byrne and Fatboy Slim.
The lay-off has not lessened her knack for beautifully finessed tunes pulled together with sublime electropop belts and braces.
From the moment Gone Fishing begins to prowl with its tale of outsiders projecting glamour and flamboyance set off against a welterweight of atmospherics and Murphy's airy vocals, it's clear Hairless Toys is the work of an artist perfectly in tune with pop's current predilections.
Exploitation, a track where the groove is simple and sparse, works with considerable panache. The title track and Exile are also studies in melodic splendour.
