Anyone familiar with Roisin Murphy's previous output with Moloko - as well as her overlooked solo debut of 2005, Ruby Blue - will be well aware of what the Wicklow-born singer is capable of (namely stomping disco dancefloor beats, delivered in that wonderfully distinct, terse vocal). Those expecting a departure from that style would be advised to steer clear of Overpowered, though; this is an album that sticks rigidly to a tried-and-tested formula, rarely colouring outside the lines or deviating from the disco/house vibe. That's not such a bad thing: there are some fantastically uplifting dance-pop tunes here, all launched forth with the effortless vigour that Murphy does so well. Yet for every You Know Me Better, Primitive or Checkin' On Me, there's a Movie Star or Cry Baby, tracks that sound like very average pop songs remixed by Paul Oakenfold or some other dated Superstar DJ. Even enlisting the likes of Groove Armada's Andy Cato, and various members of the Bugz in the Attic DJ collective on collaborative duties fail to liven things up, or create enough momentum to prevent the album from dipping half-way in. Mysterious, loungey closer Scarlet Ribbons intimates the album that could have been - but despite Overpowered ticking all the right boxes, it's still just too disappointingly conventional to get worked up about.
