Since 1999, electric synth pop duo Goldfrapp's music has embedded itself into the public consciousness via chart hits and television soundtracks.
Combining a 1970s glam rock groove with elements of 1980s synthesiser pop and seductive vocals, Goldfrapp have released 5 studio albums and 21 singles. The release of their first retrospective Goldfrapp - The Singles Collection brings together 12 choice cuts from their back catalogue as well as two new tracks recorded especially for this release.
Goldfrapp Singles Collection Kicks Off With Pure Dance Brilliance
Any music lover who has become disillusioned with the popular music culture of the last 12 years may have only made fleeting acquaintances with Goldfrapp’s style. Exploring a diverse range of musical styles within their songs, they have still succeeded in adding their own defining characteristics. These include Alison Goldfrapp's seductive soprano vocal style or Will Gregory's film noir stylised synthesizer and string arrangements.
The compilation kicks off with Goldfrapp’s 2005 smash hit Ohh La La. Rich with a heavy disco beat underlined with a Norman Greenbaum stylised electric guitar riff Ohh La La is pure dance brilliance, as well as the perfect album opener and it gets better.
Goldfrapp Singles Collection Illustrates Musical Diversions
Because the album is a Singles Collection, this allows the inclusion of tracks that maybe didn't necessarily perform well chart wise but are still critically well known. Such is the case for the gothic horror flavoured Lovely Head.
Complete with the sound of lonesome whistling set against eerie vocals and lyrics, Lovely Head is instantly recognisable from many television soundtracks. On closer inspection the track has an almost gothic horror beauty. The lyrics “Why Can't This Be Killing You - Frankenstein Would Want Your Mind - You're Lovely Head” add an extra dimension to it.
There are further cool and wonderful diversions. They include the flower power pop of Happiness which recalls the pure bubblegum pop of the summer of love, the disco delights of Ride a White Horse, the pure gospel of Believer and the addictive joy of Strict Machine has more erotic overtones. Utopia however recalls the beauty of classic science fiction movie with the promise of wonderment and discovery heightened by Alison’s beautiful vocal that blends in with the orchestrations.
Goldfrapp Feature Two New Songs On Singles Collection
Goldfrapp however, do prove that they are streets ahead of many of their contemporaries by including several melodic tracks that will undoubtedly still be as enjoyable in another 25 years as they are now. Both Rocket and Number 1 instantly fall into classic pop category, while the two new songs for this release Yellow Halo and Melancholy Sky display that they still have the ability to experiment and turn out new and exciting sounds.
Goldfrapp – The Singles Collection serves as a wonderful sampler of collecting together the bands most defining cuts and will no doubt encourage new fans to delve into their back catalogue further.
A defining retrospective, Goldfrapp – The Singles Collection is released by Astralwerks Records on February 7th 2012, and is available on Compact Disc and audio download formats.
- Background Information: Press Release, Chuff Media, January 2012.
