With ‘Sing It Back’ in the bag, Moloko completed the improbable feat of releasing two singles in a row that weren’t irritating. On ‘The Time Is Now’, abrupt, voguing strings create an atmosphere of impossible tension and born actress Róisín Murphy is the diva to wallow in it. Frankly, it’s extraordinary that Moloko managed to wriggle out of the shackles of intensely annoying glitchy trip hop long enough to make sterling additions to the pop canon, but bravo for their moment of clarity. Post-split, Murphy kept these lessons in mind and now makes sophisticated, accessible dance music that no one buys.
Junior says: “I like it, play it again. And I like the owl.” And Junior 2 gave a sulky “Ohhhh” when I turned off the superfluous remix after a couple of bars. Moloko: massive with the under-fives.
Best bit: Róisín purrs, “part of your destiny”.