Felt Mountain

Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain Much better than the other GF we had (which I probably scored too high) This set of songs is much more 'crafted' and complete. Each a mini-filmscore in its own right. Although it is always the same film pretty much 😁 Unfortunately Bjork does all of this better so I can't see myself coming back again, IIH. But if a modern day Bassey is your thing then this is unbeatable. Best Track - Pilots Worst Track - Human 7/10

Hauntingly beautiful, caught me by surprise. The vocalist had me hypnotized. It started out feeling like some sort of 60s jazz club with a theremin player on stage, which gives it that extra spooky feeling, but also shoehorns into a electronic & eccentric vibe that separates it from just being another jazzy female vocalist album. It then passes through a curtain with Deer stop, where it almost sounds like the vocalist is on the phone leaving a message for a lover, while drunk and super emotional. The vocal effects really bring this vibe to the front with the filters on her voice, which even turn into these inaudible cries (which is her just hitting a long high note). Then we pass further into Felt Mountain which starts out with these almost yodel like diddles, a very bright and refreshing song after getting hit with the emotional bomb of a song right before. Then into the oompah loompah song that really just sounds like some odd marching band. This song kind of sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the rest, but in a weird way feels cohesive? Not sure how, as it sounds so distant from the rest of the songs. But acts as this triumphant transition into the final 2 songs, acting as a sort of grocery stick in between the finale and the front section. Those last 2 songs are very cinematic and are reminiscent of the first few songs, which tie everything together. This album tells a story, it carries you along from front to back like a smooth ride through some sort of jazzy fever dream. Super cool and unique. Hard to classify it into a single genre, jazzy, trip-hoppy, cinematic, orchestral, electronic, alternative would all be words to describe this. Great find, will definitely be re-listening and checking out more Goldfrapp. 9/10

Hiervan blijft echt niks hangen en wat er is blijven hangen is dat ik het matig en saai vind

Man ik zou dit waanzinnig moeten vinden. Het is triphoppy, Lynch-y en jazzy, maar het is het allemaal niet niet ofzo? 'Deer Stop' is voor mij een highlight, net wat weirder en trager dan de rest, maar het album als geheel laat me helaas net wat teleurgesteld achter.

I do like Seventh Tree better, but this isn't deserving of a two star rating. At best this is pleasant background music, at worst, it sounds like Temu Portishead.

i like a lot of this quite a bit! Oompah radar pretty much sounds like the happy mask salesman’s theme from majoras mask so that’s interesting

Very nice sound. I like Alison's vocals. Interesting combo of orchestra and synth. Weird effects on the vocals at the end of Deer Stop.

I think a 4? It’s good and interesting, I think it deserves it

I quite like Goldfrapp - Alison has such a glorious voice - and even I'm staggered this weird, bloodless pastiche of cinema scores and cabaret numbers is on the list among all the albums that could have been picked.

A James Bond soundtrack for aliens, which sounds fantastic. The singer has a great voice, which counters the bleeps and bloops in a curious way. Favorite tracks were Lovely Head and Pilots. Enjoyable all the way through.

⛰️🌬️🐴🎪👄

Okay

Honestly not bad. Not my favorite but not bad.

Sci-fi lounge jazz, James Bond themes for the damned, beautiful and dark and sad. Alone.

I listened but I didn’t find anything super interesting.

Such a glorious, delicious vibe. Bond film shit.

Está bueno, se siente una vibra interesante y misteriosa por elementos de orquesta que priorizan en su edición La voz de la vocalista queda muy bien con todo lo que se instrumentaliza De acá sale un sample de Kanye West BUENISIMO Canción favorita es Utopia La verdad es que el enfoque electrónico es muy minimalista a mi parecer para la oportunidad que realmente pudieron haber tenido de agregar un montón de componentes más y se abstuvieron lo cual veo bien, de nuevo, les quedó muy bien el debut Recomendable y reescuchable

Goldfrapp always makes for an interesting listen.

While this album does sound nice, it just feels a tiny bit samey to my ears. 3.5 bumped down to 3.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. I’m really not sure how to describe that. It feels almost like a collection of dreams put to tape, combining abstract thoughts with somewhat vivid imagery to create a bit of a jarring effect. The production work here feels way ahead of pace for 2000, somehow doing way too much for what these tracks might lyrically entail, yet feel wrought in overthinking & stress in a way that justifies the extent of that production work. It’s an album that constantly feels like it’s fighting itself, unable to decide if it hates the concepts each track is talking about or falling in love with them, and somehow, the result of that is 40 minutes that hits more often than not. There’s only two tracks that really didn’t click with me on a first pass: “Paper Bag” & “Deer Stop”, both of which just feels like they’re too disconnected in their lyrical / musical balance. Interesting listens, yes, but just not as compelling past their concepts. The rest of the album, however, clicked pretty well for me. “Horse Tears” took a second listen for me to really soak in the dichotomy of a somewhat passionate set of lyrics combined with an utterly defeated & monotonous approach (outside of the strings), but everything else worked on a first pass. “Human” & “Utopia” are tied for my favorite tracks here, with the former’s glitchhop samba approach being the most unique soundscape on the album (and a rather chilling line of “you’re not human too”) & the latter’s relevance for 2026 (a fascist-created robot that only serves to agreeably deliver pleasure to people all too willing to eat it up feels a bit on the nose) giving it an extra kick to my ears. “Pilots” is serene as hell, feeling like a Sinatra track with a bit of an electronic baroque lean, & “Oompah Radar” won me over for having a lot of the same instruments as the GameCube-era Zelda games baked into its weird circus soundscape. “Felt Mountain” & “Lovely Head” are ones where mileage may vary, but the former evoked something with the whip sounds that felt like an attempt to crack someone’s psyche, and the latter just had a primal undertone to it that felt like cold, calculated, scientifically efficient love. It contrasts well with a more organic desire present on the rest of the album, and I think it’s a good opening track because of that. Overall, it’s an album that thrives entirely on how willing you are to buy into it. If you can’t hear this as anything but weird & experimental, it probably just won’t work for you. If you can find that intrinsic intangible that draws your brain into this, you’ll probably find something out of it. Yes, I bounced off of two tracks here, but I suspect I focused a little too much on the lyrics for both of them. When I listened to “Horse Tears” the second time, it was entirely off of just listening, and that made it click. I think it might happen with those two tracks as well. Besides that, I just admire the swings this is taking for 2000 & the totality of its eccentricities is appealing to my weird brain. I do think the floor here is understandably a 3, but I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. Once again, a Mercury Prize nomination has come through for me.

Quite like this. Echoes of Shirley Bassey for sure. I had heard Goldfrapp before, but not like this. Somewhat experimental but not in a bad way. It will get added to my regular rotation. 4/5

This is a good album to listen to in the background. Lots of interesting things going on in this album. From haunting vocals to interesting arrangements. I liked this album.

This came on at just the right time for me. Doing house work etc…honestly sounded like an album of James Bond music.

I had heard Lovely Head before but preferred their more upbeat stuff like Strict Machine. It really passed me by a bit initially, I liked the title track and tuned into the record a bit more after that, but ultimately it's a bit like background music to me and not something I'd seek out.

Second and final Goldfrapp. It hasn't been too long since my previous album of theirs. I assembled a pre-written review for Seventh Tree on the 24th of April this year and pulled it on the list four days later on April 28th, which was kind of an amusing coincidence. I remember a little bit of that album. I thought "Happiness" was a solid track along with some of the miscellaneous electronic flavouring that sticks out in my memory. Sadly, Seventh Tree can adequately be described as one of the least essential albums on the list given that it was added to the 2010 edition of book and removed from the 2011 update. Since this is the only surviving Goldfrapp album on the list I think I can be forgiven for holding it to a higher standard. Here's hoping that I will also wind up liking this album. Yeah, not bad! Quite different from Seventh Tree, too. That album very much plays into the folktronica genre, whereas this is more influenced by a noir/cinematic style. I quite like it. There's an interesting, misty ambience hanging over much of this music that is underscored nicely by the ponderous noir stylings and sharp, cutting strings. The rounded, wavy synth are certainly a strange choice for this style of music, though they work quite nicely. I'm not quite sold on Goldfrapp's vocals just yet, though they are adept. The seductive element works well for this style of music and the deep, breathy tones mesh with the bassy instrumentation quite well. All in all, this was perfectly okay. Big thumbs uppy from me, and I might delve into Goldfrapp's discography if I ever find the time. Book time. "...a debut that confounded lazy attempts at categorization." The book pins the genre of this album as "cinematic electronica". Allison Goldfrapp had moved about in the music industry prior to settling down with Will Gregory. The book entry closes out by calling this album "The soundtrack to a movie that has yet to be made. For once, unique is the only apt description." Wikipedia says that this album has a wide range of influences and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Critics were favourable, even if the reaction could be a little middling in more than a few places. The album had a respectable chart performance for a debut experimental electronic release. It charted in six countries, usually peaking in the 40 - 50 range. I mean, I liked this album, so fuck it. We're letting this puppy through. I cosign this inclusion. ================== Happy album No. 600 to me. We are finally, definitively across the halfway point of this list. Even moreso when considering all of the pre-written reviews I've assembled in the meantime. Since my previous hundred album milestone I've bashed out the remaining reviews for all of the albums that were removed from later editions of the book, burned through all of the albums over an hour in length and made it through half of the albums that are between fifty minutes and an hour. My pre-written review count is sat at a healthy ~170 albums, which means I have a buffer of 140 albums when excluding the reviews I've already published to the site. I'm sitting veeeery pretty right now. Honestly, I prefer writing the pre-written reviews at this point because of how much I've industrialised the process of making them. I used to write the introductory paragraph, put on the album, write the book section, finish the album and then write the review segment. Now, I write the introduction, listen to the album, write my review and then add the book section when I pull the album on this website. It makes it a hell of a lot easier for me to complete these reviews now that I'm offloading part of the the work to future me. There are days where I've been able to hammer out five reviews, which makes me a trve Spartan warrior. Anyways, it's time for me to look back at this previous century of albums. "Southern Rock Opera" was a solid alt-country outing. It didn't quite click with me when I listened to it, though I have been tempted to give it a second chance. I brought an end to the Pink Floydiverse with my review of DSOTM. I'm still not quite sold on that album, though I can't deny that it's massively important. I listened to "Illinois" for the first time, which was shit. I just can't get over the self-indulgent track titles, Stevens' shitty vocal style and the jittery instrumentation that guides much of that album. I pulled "Steve McQueen" by Prefab Sprout, which is a fantastic, excellent album. I previously knew of Prefab Sprout because of Paddy McAloon's "I Trawl the Megahertz" solo album, which I hold in equally high esteem. Aside from that release, I'd never so much as grazed on Prefab Sprout's music until I pulled Steve McQueen through the list. To think I was sitting on a treasure trove of pop songwriting this entire time. Anyways, the album is very good throughout, though that first run of five songs is just illustrious. "Moving the River" takes the cake as my favourite song of the album, however. It's hard not to love its unshakable sense of optimism. In the few off moments where I'm not listening to the albums of this list I've been glued to Prefab Sprout. I've listened to "Jordan: The Comeback" in full quite a few times, which is also quite fantastic. I listened to "Calenture" by The Triffids, which I was quite middle of the road on. Despite this, I've thought about the album quite a few times and have felt tempted to revisit it. It has a prodigious, sanctimonious vibe that I find to be quite endearing, even if the vocal melodies were a little lackluster. I finished the expanded Pink Floydiverse with Syd Barrett's solo album, which I admittedly remember very little about. I also don't remember much about "The Colour Spring" by Talk Talk, though I do want to give it a second chance now that I've remembered it exists. I pulled my first Tom Waits album with "Nighthawks on the Diner", who I've since come to dislike. I've assembled pre-written reviews for Rain Dogs and Bone Machine, which are both pretty monstrous. "Trans Europe Express" was another big winner. I admittedly haven't revisited it, though I'm looking forward to hearing the remaining Kraftwerk releases. The album is interesting in that it sounds very dated as an early electronic release, yet also sounds like nothing else because of how strange and rudimentary the electronic production is. I pulled two Sonic Youth albums ("EVOL" and "Goo") in addition to assembling a pre-written review for "Dirty". Still not sold on the band and their lazy, shitty aesthetic. I finally got around to hearing Peter Gabriel's self-titled release, fulfilling a promise to my Mum from about a year ago. I don't remember a single thing about that album, so I might as well have not listened to it at all. "Music Has the Right to Children" was an interesting album despite the stupid name. That's another release I've felt tempted to revisit. "California" by American Music Club is also an interesting album that I've wanted to revisit. The lyrical content stood out to me quite a bit, which is especially commendable given that I never listen to the lyrics when I'm putting on an album for the first time. It was nice to revisit "The White Room" by The KLF, though I do prefer the modernised sound and updated track listing which features on the 2021 director's cut of that album. "Faust IV" by Faust was yet another big winner. The list has had a higher-than-average strike rate over these past hundred albums. Great atmosphere, commendable variety and a fun, plucky songwriting style. I've revisited it more than a few times in the 32 albums that have passed since I first heard it. I also pulled my first Zappa record, which I wasn't all that into. I expected something a lot zanier and more complex than whatever "We're Only in it for the Money" was trying to be. I enjoyed returning to "Since I Left You". The album loses its focus and dense production style early on, though I can't deny that it has some incredible highs. I finished Michael Jackson's discography with "Bad", which was kind of a let down. Very stripped back and rudimentary in comparison to Thriller. Time to take a peek in the favourite artist trunk. I've been doing well as of late. Granted, I'm just over half of my way through the list with less than half of my album supply, but I can ration. Here's the damage: The Beatles: 2/7 Eels: 1/1 The Flaming Lips: 2/2 Gorillaz: 0/1 Pink Floyd: 0/4 (-1 since last hundred) Radiohead: 1/6 Total: 6 albums remain

bronze crap

Pretty awesome. More of these please

At its best James Bond theme kind of music. At its boring some weird sounds.

Kinda liked this one. Great atmosphere music, but not sure I'd listen just to listen. If I'm ever driving through a desert I might put this on.

It's getting harder and harder to want to login and review these albums. There's just so many that don't deserve a spot on this list and this is another one. Are Goldfrapp talented, sure, but is this an album that everyone should listen to once because it's groundbreaking and chock full of goodness? No. The opening track from the 1940's sets the table. Apparently "Lovely Head" was popular somewhere as it has 17M listens, it's never touched a radio wave in the USA nor did it deserve to. Then it's followed up by the true snoozer "Paper Bag", and the Bond song "Human, with 1950's strings and arrangement. Shirley Bassey deserves royalties. What century was this released? "Pilots" is pretty, and I can see her laying across the piano in the black & white movie while Humphrey Bogart looks at her like a pedo, but there is nothing that separates this from something that was already done a half century before. The rest isn't worth commenting on. I was literally bored out of my skull listening to this drivel. I had to ask Spotify to exclude them from my taste profile just so they don't pop up in the future. This album blows, holy cow, what hell?! Monotone, no hits, boring, no defining moment, no influence that I am aware of outside of France, no soul. This gets one star, I felt like this was pointless from start to finish with ZERO payoff and no challenges.

10/10 just for the cover. The album itself feels eerier, almost like like a lonely day on the train across the midwest. I liked it. 8/10

I have listened to nearly 800 albums, and I have had 2 Goldfrapp albums within 9 albums of each other. And you know what? This is fine. It's fine. But it doesn't really excite or even stick with me, even as a sketch for a electronica Bond score. My same review as last time, for Seventh Tree, applies: Pleasant but unmemorable.

I was very open mindedly curious about this album as Goldfrapp are Glastonbury darlings and they have a reputation for inventiveness, especially considering the calibre of artists with whom Will Gregory worked. I found the basic sound of the album to be an amalgam of 90s female songwriters such as PJ Harvey and Tori Amos along with Portishead, but also possessing some Kate Bush timbre and some cabaret like Liza Minelli touches. I liked some John Barry type orchestrations and some rather cat like electro synth solos. I wasn't hearing any groundbreaking melodies (a few decent hooks and grooves) but it was interesting and I can see how Alison became quite popular with the 2000s 'alternative mainstream'.

Pretty good chill vibe, kinda trip hoppy, couple songs for me keeping it 3.49

I had Seventh Tree previously by Goldfrapp and unexpectedly loved it. I can't say I was quite as enamored this time around, but I did like a good amount of this record. The beginning few tracks were the best, at least for my ear. Lovely Head and Paper Bag were excellent tunes. After that, it wasn't quite as good. Worth the listen though. 3 stars.

This started off with some cool songs, but got pretty dull by the back half of the album.

Will need to revisit at some point, but did not resonate with me.

I liked the.last few songs but the album was all a bit samey, james bondy

Interesting listen, but not something I think I'd come back to

first few songs are pretty good, but the album gets pretty repetitive after a few songs.

Another album that I'm sure is good for what it is but what it is isn't for me.

This sounds like someone’s attempt to write an entire album of 60’s era Bond themes without the innuendo in the year 2000.

This reminded me of a song I’d hear in a jazz club in a 90s movie. I almost liked the song that sounded like circus music (Oompah Radar).

3.75 - I like this more than I remember liking the other Goldfrapp albums that I've listened to.

This album matched my mood. Evocative and relaxing. Good as background music

There were a lot of electronic elements about this that I liked. But, that mixed with a cabaret-esque style was just a strange combination that didn’t work for me much. I’m feeling generous, though and will put this right in the middle with a 3.

Pretty good but not the best trip hop I've heard

Très très sympa

BO de James Bond époque Roger Moore, de la meilleure des manières Playlist pick : Lovely Head

Listenable but I found it rather boring.

Inspires nothing but pure indifference in me

This is like the soundtrack to an unmade Studio Ghibli movie. So strange and weird and ethereal. I'm here for it.

Sounded good on paper but I found this quite boring.

smooth and nice and smooth

album #103 I'm personally more of a fan of Goldfrapp's later works, but I will say that this is a stellar debut album! A haunting, off-kilter, and synth-driven record that was definitely ahead of its time. The second half of the album was by far the strongest, leaning moreso into the weird ambience. Overall a fun and unique ride, and I think I can understand it's placement on the list :) ꩜ average track rating: 3/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): utopia, oompah radar ꩜ least favourite track(s): pilots ꩜ album rating: ★★★⯪☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 986 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 49 (+1 Felt Mountain) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 22 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 81

Crazy debut, very catchy but odd, some excellent sounds but sometimes it gets too weird for its own good. I prefer "Seventh Tree" but this has some banging tracks on it

Zzz

Meh

No thank you

Breathy ballad-style Bond songs if they were written in Bjork's dreams.

Felt Mountain feels like the soundtrack to a moody, cinematic noir film or maybe a lost Bond sequence. From the start, I was pulled into this smoky world where 60s lounge vibes meet 2000s trip hop. Alison Goldfrapp’s vocals are haunting and ethereal, kind of like a mix of Portishead and Shirley Bassey. It’s super hypnotic and sensual, almost overly so, but feeling both retro and totally otherworldly.

this album is just a delight for the ears, especially in the context of making dinner at night. trip hop is 99% of the time such a great genre and i'm glad there's as much of it on the list. glad goldfrapp has 2 albums on here

In the right context (in a spy movie or in a video game), this album could be really cool. However, it feels a bit forgettable and a tad boring (these albums are not really my thing).

Every song sounds like a bad James Bond theme song or a gay circus

Actually enjoyed it.

It feels like this album deserves more - I'll surely revisit it.

This album had the ability to slow time and make 39 minutes feel like 1.5hrs in a bad way. Deer Stop was my least fave here.

Definitely different. Didn't feel like the typical generic electronic from that late 90s/early 00s era, but not overly notable.

Every song was a Bond movie theme track. And yet, I liked it.

This was a good surprise. I loved the sound and vibe of most of these songs. Kind of ethereal and mysterious. The synth sound is cool.

Not as good as their more beat-focused albums. A fine approach to crooner jazz but in 2000? Idk bro

some fun grooves for sure! could see it going crazy in the aughts

Never heard of this band! Cool cinematic sound that sounds a bit like their contemporaries (stereolab, broadcast, portishead) but with the lounge influence dialed up. Like the songs with more electronics naturally! Would give 3.5 if able

raaaaaaro

viajero mal no me volvio loco pero tampoco me disgustó. vos tambien bring me joy palo y mucho te quiero con todo mi corazon

I admire the creativity. It felt very dada cabaret, cinematic almost.

Listens: 6 Standout Tracks: Lovely Head, Human, Oompah Radar, Utopia I racked up a ton of listens on this album; I was basically hooked by listen two. Its sultry, seductive, hypnotic and extremely crushable. Unlike Seventh Tree, which I had both early on on this journey (I was still getting my bearings on how to listen to and rate albums), and didn't find as favorable (I even tried to listen to it again today), there was an instant connection to this album. It reminds me of all of the good things I like in smooth, seductive downtempo electronica music, from all of the artists I listen to: Bitter:Sweet, Thievery Corporation, Jem, Supreme Beings of Leisure, Morcheeba, to name a few. I like what I heard and this will almost certain become a mainstay in my ever-increasing repertoire of albums I've gained from the 1001 albums journey. A+

Experimental and intriguing, not sure it's something I'd revisit

Jesus. One is enough. One star should remind the compilers of this.

I didn't want to do this, but they've snuck up on me. There's a darkness here I like. Her range is impressive, but unlike to many post Bjork female singers she's got her own thing happening and it works. And it is melodic, things are left to drift, it holds up across the range of tunes, Lovely Head is top shelf,ditto Paper Bag and Utopia.

Shirley Bassey sings Portishead. A touch reductive, perhaps? Well, I like Shirley Bassey and Portishead both, so this works for me. That trip hop, faux 60s soundtrack thing was all the rage in the UK in the late 90s, early 2000s, and this is the best example of that (Portishead's Dummy aside). Alison Goldfrapp is a charismatic and intriguing singer. I have loved this album since it was released, and it regularly features on my turntable.

Listened to this a bit ago when I was in my Trip Hop phase, definitely on the more boring side though Goldfrapp is a good singer

Makes me feel very cool.

It ‘twas ok

I was asked why I was listening to “Eerie circus music”at one point

Huh

New millennium easy listening

This was a very pretty record. Hey now i know where that Yeezus sample comes from.

I liked the modern dream pop album we got from Goldfrapp earlier on in this challenge, but I like this downtempo album even more! It keeps to the chilled-out sound of downtempo while injecting just enough of an experimental bite to keep me hooked throughout an active listen. Excellent stuff!

I’ve put this as a 3-star, but dear reader, not all 3-star albums are made the same. What an interesting experience. Not exactly what I expected when I read that it was an electronic early 2000s downtempo album. It had a full orchestra and it was often eerie! Not something I’d listen to again, but it was interesting.

What an intriguing album! There's only a few parts throughout that I actively liked, but it did have me hooked the whole way through. This is 100% some shit I've never heard before (other than that Human sample on Kanye's Freestyle 4, which fried my brain upon listening (complimentary)). One to revisit. Standouts: Human • Felt Mountain • Utopia

This really let me down! The title track amd Utopia are awesome but the rest of the album was dull and not very interesting at all.

From the first minute this album is awful and doesn't improve. 1 star or F-.

This is the first album by ambient electronic duo (Will Gregory with female singer Alison Goldfrapp) comparable to Portishead (Gregory played with them). The songs on this album have a cabaret and spy film vibe and is less upbeat than later albums.  I really like this album. It's more about the experience created by all the songs rather than one or two bangers.

Maybe im just not in the right headspace but trying to understand who would listen to this not as part of a sexy spy film soundtrack. Who turns this on, on a random day?

A beautiful album that feels like watching a film. I love how orchestral it is and how it builds.

When dipping my toe into genre landscapes I've only lightly traversed, an interesting question pops into my head: what compels an artist to explore any particular sonic direction? The answer is unlikely to involve the bedazzled, enchanted alchemy I imagine, but I refuse to relinquish the wonder. When music grabs you, it's primal. It's visceral. It feels like tapping into a second language you were fluent in long before a single note ever graced your ear holes. The how and why can feel impossible to explain. Despite an unquenchable thirst for the attention of women in my youth, I didn't gravitate toward guitar music as some kind of personal branding maneuver or an attempt to find my social tribe. It just made sense to me. It made me feel alive. Which brings me to "Felt Mountain". I simply cannot imagine arriving at this sound deliberately. I can't picture these two weird beards calmly deciding the world needed a frozen cabaret record full of spy-film strings, lonesome whistling, sighing electronics, brass-band hallucinations, and vocals that occasionally sound like a beautiful woman being gradually replaced by a haunted appliance. And yet every peculiar choice belongs. Maybe artists don't choose genres like shirts. Maybe they follow an emotional impulse until they stumble upon the strange collection of sounds capable of expressing it. Here, orchestral grandeur, flapper-era glamour, and electronic manipulation come together to create something lonely, seductive, artificial, and faintly dangerous. It's an immaculate world, but not a hospitable one. Snowy vistas and enormous skies surround a voice close enough to fog your glasses. Whispers become performances, romantic swells turn threatening, and the beauty always feels staged by someone whose intentions are difficult to trust. This isn't a musical language I would have recognized as my own. But I understand the instinct: realizing that only these sounds, put together in exactly this bizarre way, could say what needed to be said. Maybe that's the enchanted alchemy after all.

Dreamy, cinematic, moody. Goldfrapp transports me back to that time I was tripping on X while swathed in head-to-toe body glitter and wearing fairy wings. Could have done without the 5 minute polka number unless this album was part of a demo for a tv or movie soundtrack – in which case, ok fine. I’ll allow it – but as is it just takes me out of the vibe the rest of the album sets up. Fav Tracks: Lovely Head, Human, Utopia Utopia = Lana Del Rey

Way more than just Lovely Head. A really cool album that just washed over me like a soothing wave

Another one where you need to be in the right mood. This is very chilled and atmospheric

Really liked this, an eerie Portishead-like album that I really enjoyed. 4 stars.

I have never heard of Goldfrapp - at all. Thoughts while listening 3 times ... Seems old timey in a way - but also futuristic. Sometimes her voice reminded me of Bjork. Sometimes reminds me of Hooverphonic or Portishead. Very mellow, ethereal but intense kind of vibe. I ended up liking "Lovely Head", "Human", "Pilots", "Deer Stop", "Felt Mountain", "Utopia". It will be interesting to hear these come up on my playlists Liked songs on Spotify: 6/9 Rating: 3/5

Alison Goldfrapp (a quien habíamos escuchado en Pumpkind de otro friki como Tricky) y Wil Gregory (con experiencia junto a nada menos que Portishead, Tears for fears, The Cure o Peter Gabriel) publicaron este artefacto único en su momento y que a día de hoy sigue sonando igual de raro y exquisito. Lovely head es un perfecto ejemplo. No sé cómo definir su sonido, electrónico, futurista retro-vintage, clásico, pero sobre todo pluscuamperfecto. Portishead, pero de otra manera. Human está claramente inlfuida pos Shirley Bassey (que unos años antes publicó la sensacional History Repeating con Propellerheads). La otra gema del disco es, sin duda, Utopia. Un clásico al que vuelvo cada cierto tiempo y jamás me cansa.

ambient electronica with some really interesting string arrangements, a bit more appealing than any of their other material that I've heard.

82/100. Dark and a very interesting mix of emotions. Eerie, romantic, empty, dreamy among other things. The whole record has such strong influences from trip-hop and art pop, with ambient textures. It works really well. I don’t know really what the album is about to be honest, but it feels so mysterious, an isolated seduction. Like it’s filled with sadness, but I don’t really get sad from it, for me it’s just serene. The songs feel like an atmosphere rather than a story. Utopia is such a great track, my favorite from this release, it’s beautiful. I also think Lovely Head is a really strong opener for this album as well, it hooks you immediately with curiosity. That’s what makes this album work so well, atmosphere can be inviting without telling you where you are or how to get to a place or feeling.

Medio embole Siento q es el tipo de álbum q escucharía nessa barrett

3★/5 07.01.2026

I’d never heard this before and kind of assumed that I wouldn’t like it. So it was a pleasant surprise to find that this album is actually quite good. This is some lush sounding lounge-influenced electronica with sultry vocals. The analog synths

listening to this was like turn up the volume on elevator music only to realize it was bad so turning it back down, then turning it up again and remembering why you turned it down and then turning it up because the next song sounds interesting except it's actually not so you turn it down again but then

… horse tears you say?

surprisingly good. I want to hear more

i have heard this album already in the past, but i'll give it a rating Lovely Head - 4/5 Paper Bag - 4/5 Human - 3/5 Pilots - 5/5 Deer Stop - 4/5 Felt Mountain - 3/5 Oompa Radar - 3/5 Utopia - 5/5 Horse Tears - 4/5 Average score: 3.9/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ i think this barely breached the 4-star range, mostly due to the fact that she's got a lovely voice i think as far as trip hop artists go, Goldfrapp isn't necessarily my favorite project. it's kinda hard to stand out next to Portishead and the like. this is still a nice listen and the vocalist is very talented, but this is more of an album i'd passively listen to in the background rather than actively seek out and enjoy

Goldfrapp just being effortlessly cool

Not great

Kind of wanted to like this. Don’t think I did.

I listened to a few singles from Goldfrapp within the past two years. The general sense I got from the duo of vocalist Alison Goldfrapp and keyboardist Will Gregory was that they're an electroclash group, combining elements of electronic dance, synth-pop, techno, and performance art into their style. However, with their debut record, Felt Mountain, the better descriptor I got from their early start was electro-cabaret. Yeah, this record is an eerily ambient mixture of electronic, folk, and cabaret music, taking cues from cinematic scores to weave out a collection of songs that explore feelings of isolation, obsession, deception, and unrelenting animalistic tendencies. Alison paints a perverse scene with her sultry vocals, using evocative imagery and metaphors to describe these complex emotions amidst the swelling strings, ebbing synthesizers, and occasional electronic glitches. No two songs sound alike, such as the heavily processed vocals and whistling on the album opener "Lovely Head", the demented Latin groove with striking percussion on "Human", the futuristic ballad "Pilots", the cracking whip sounds paired with the light yodeling on the title track, the demented brass-filled waltz with abstract singing on "Oompah Radar", or the trip-hop operatic confrontation against perfectionism on "Utopia". This album does genuinely feel unique. I might not like all the tinkering on this record, such as the filtering effects applied to Alison's vocals on "Deer Stop" as she described this trapped relationship, or the off-kilter tremolo guitar motif opposite the filtered organ on the closing track "Horse Tears". But more often than not, I was awe-struck by this bizarre, cinematic collection of vignettes that Goldfrapp assembled for their debut record. The duo may not sound like this with their later material, but what they accomplished with Felt Mountain is worth beholding.

Goldfrapp’s Felt Mountain starts out sounding like an album of stylish, would‑be Bond themes—sleek, seductive, and very much of its early‑2000s moment. That’s not a knock; the music earns that comparison. But then you hit Oompah Radar, and the whole Bond fantasy just falls apart in your hands. Pierce Brosnan is James Bond 007 in Goldfrapp!

This album has a gloomy, noir vibe rife with a sensual undertone that you can't escape. For me it evokes a black & white crime drama with an unsolved murder that only a down on his luck PI can solve. Really enjoyable if your mood matches what the music is conveying. Today was just such a day for me.

Moby yesterday, this today. Both did interesting things with electronica and both found a wider audience after being used in adverts. This has a more singular sound though, a haunting aura from another time. Highlight Utopia sounds like the robots are in love, whilst Horse Tears sounds like Shirley Bassey performs a theme for American Horror Story. It’s a weird album

This is the wrong Goldfrapp album

Blind album and artist. I'd rather listen to the music that inspired this album, than this album. I just can't not roll my eyes when each track started, right at the start i knee what it was gonna be and I knee i wouldn't enjoy it. 2.

Liked this, quite floaty sounding electronically and a nice vocal

Pretty one note, nothing insane going on here. Would make pretty good wallpaper for your noir-esque dinner parties I guess Solid 3/10

Such an incredible voice

I have heard other Goldfrapp music before, but not this album. And I liked that other stuff with its more poppy techo sound. Less so with this album that's a bit slower and more chill. Still good though.

Thought I was going to like it. Felt underwhelmed. Didn't feel much at all, in fact!

Ja

#978. Varies from boring to annoying. 2/5: dumb

Possibly the best sounding album production-wise on the list. Great mix of beautiful, jazzy melodies and general bizarreness. 5.0/5.0: Iconic

the top review hit the nail on the head. this alternates between being weird and interesting to incredibly boring.

It’ll put ya to sleep and you’ll still be upset when you wake up.

Sorta interesting mostly boring, the phrase “fascist baby” made me laugh out loud. 2.5/5

Deer Stop is going into my hall of fame of most god awful "songs"

This is ok, kind of a vibe. Don't know that I will ever listen again tho.

booooooring

Weird and boring

<3 really enjoyed to listen this

Mega zajebsity klimat: tajemniczy, londyńskii, mglisty, cyrkowy, triphopowy

This was an interesting opener. Not sure what to expect This a moody album, I'm liking it I love the vocals, love the experimental instrumentation. Moody polka 😁 This feels like the soundtrack to someone's fever dream, in the best way possible It ended kind of abruptly. I didn't feel a satisfactory resolution

1/2

Muy lograda atmósfera. Muy lento todo por momentos. Nota: 3.1

An album entirely about the bulge in Len Houmous’ pants. 2.0 1/9 Lovely Head

Interesting and hypnotic album that has elements of Portishead. It's also pretty eclectic and unique in its vocal/electronic sounds. Favorite songs are "Lovely Head," " Human," and, especially, "Utopia" which is like some kind of Germany circa 1939 fascist dreamscape. These songs get a bit melodramatic but it's certainly unique.

Kind of equal parts boring and soothing as hell? There are two really interesting songs here, Human and Utopia. The others I almost instantly forgot, but they sounded nice at least. Maybe a good cure for a bout of insomnia, and I mean that in a good way

First song gave me Bond theme vibes. That lush, orchestral sound carried forward to the rest of the album, albeit with stranger production choices. Each song pulls from classic big band structure and throws electronica curveballs to keep it fresh (“Human” is a good example of what I mean). It’s cinematic and sexy, romantic and dark, and sometimes sleepy and uniform. But gorgeous and surprising, mostly. Not what I was expecting to hear after seeing the “electronica” label. Overall, I liked this way more than I anticipated. The best is when an album grows on you as you’re listening to it. Alison Goldfrapp I respect you and will investigate your work further.

I LOVE Goldfrapp's more recent dancy releases. Critics and the general public have absolutely sat on these bangers of an album. Honestly, I had no idea Goldfrapp sounded like this early in their career. Heavily influenced by the sounds of John Barry's James Bond Scores and the Divas who belted out those iconic Bond themes, Felt Mountain is lush with orchestrations and the sexy, dark sounds of that British spy's early beginnings. It's moody and slow and you kinda have to be in the mood, but I absolutely loved it.

A little weird, but I didn’t mind it. Probably don’t need to hear it again though. Three stars.

This is fine but I think I’d just listen to Portishead.

Not a fan. Random and all over the place,

Heard Before? Yes, a few years ago. Notes: - does whistling belong in recorded music? i can never hear it without thinking of Billy Joel and Peter Bjorn and John. - while I'm namedropping, Air, Portishead and Broadcast all mined similar influences but each managed to take them somewhere new. the palette here is so much less varied. we get imaginary 60s exotica torch ballads and nothing else. - this despite the consistently gorgeous vocals and lovely spacious production. - the songwriting is nearly unnoticeable; these songs rise and (mostly) fall on mood and technique alone. Verdict: James Bond theme cosplay. Listen Again? Nope. The rest of the Goldfrapp discography is similarly uninspiring, but at least they make attempts at variety.

This album feels like it could be a soundtrack to an old Bond film, especially the first track. A good listen that makes you feel like you are in a swanky jazz club in the 40s. Highlights: "Lovely Head" and "Human"

I dig it: electronicaxotica works for me. (But Oompah Radar is a big 'ol stupid annoying no: if you bother with carnival nonsense, you don't need to be Tom Waits but you at least need to have an idea.)

Album #174 Goldfrapp: Felt Mountain Portishead but boring. And to be honest, though I enjoy Dummy, I would hardly consider it a favourite; and that album is meant to be the pinnacle of this genre. Though genre is perhaps a strong word for this type of music, I suppose ‘vibe’ would be a better term. I guess the goal is to lull you into a trance to lo-fi James Bond beats. This album was a bit less trip-hop, and a little more champer pop, so I feel like I should enjoy it more; however, I can’t help but feel bored by it. Really doesn’t feel like an important album, though Utopia is quite good. Best Songs: Utopia, Pilots, Oompah Radar Worst Song: Human Score out of 10: 5

Грустное, спокойное, мне нравится

Sounds nice but slightly, eh, pessimistic? Good for sad days, I guess.

Ok je suis à ma première et elle capte mon intérêt, c’est assez étrange, j’aime bien Oh le sample de freestyle 4 sur Human ! La chanson est bien du coup Je trouve ça intriguant mais jamais fun ou dansant par contre Felt mountain : bons sons Globalement l’écoute n’est ni ennuyeuse ni difficile, mais jamais transcendante Utopia : pas mal 5/10

Even people who like this type of music don't like this shit.

Cool and new to me. Loved it

I was kind of digging that at first but it didn't last.

ну эээ, норм..

Interesting, I liked the trip hop feel of this. I don't know that I'll return to it, but a cool listen at least once.

I only knew strict machine from their other album- loved this, especially “Utopia”

It’s a little too haunting for me. Like little kid ghosts.

If Bond themes were a band

Vocals are generally good. Songs very similar, except for the ridiculous “Oompah Radar”, where an alien circus hijacks the proceedings. She probably should have just titled this “Soundtrack for an Alien Melodrama”, which would have provided a more accurate description of the internal contents. Glad to have heard this; don’t need to hear it again.

Is this a theater kid heard Bjork and watched the fifth element and loved the opera singer and decided to start a band making music for James Bond movies?

Oh interesting, is that a rubber chicken or maybe a crow hooked up to a distortion pedal? This kind of sounds ahead of it's time. The audio engineering is pretty good for 2000. This is an album where I wouldn't want to listen to individual tracks, it is good as a whole, as an album. This was a nice experience and I could see it growing on me with repeated listens.

Sounds like the soundtrack to an imaginary detective movie

Beautifullllll album. I’m really in my Goldfrapp era right now so this may make me biased. The singing and the instrumentation yum.

overall enjoyed but that circus ahh song went on way too long

Really struggling to have thoughts about this album. It made me feel nothing. It's just a bit too on the odd side for me. I dont really have much to say other than I didnt vibe with it. I did actually like Utopia, but other than thst none of the other songs did anything for me.

she gagged me... this was crazy and awesome. very different... such a cool vibe.... wow particularly loved "pilots", "utopia". DEFINITELY will listen again. an incredibly cohesive album too, like where the songs aren't the same but together they all form a unique sound & concept some parts I didnt enjoy - "oompah radar" (like, interesting conceptually, but thoroughly unenjoyable), and the end of "deer stop". that's why it's a 4 not a 5

Not what I expected.

Ngl, seeing "debut album...English electronic duo..." with an average score of 3 or less is really not reassuring. That being said, this was a very pleasant surprise. It's no Dummy (what is?), but it's some pretty fantastic trip hop that really does sound like a Bond theme. A strong 4/5. There's unfortunately some kinda dull bits holding it back from my rare 5/5.

Meh

interesting sounds kinda alien but also kinda calming

Highly dissonant

Lovely Head

Never listened. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Good - I like the trip hop vibe of the first couple tracks. Paper Bag with the hesitant plucked strings is particularly moody. Human is also good. I think the album falls off a little as it goes on after a very strong start. Oompah Radar is different but the album doesn't quite live up to it's potential.

I'm glad I listened so I can bank Goldfrapp's sound. It's a whole album of Bond Movie songs... you can only do 1 or 2 of those at most. I kept wanting them to sound more like Portishead but respect the 2 person setup like Sylvan Esso. They own the one sound but needed more.

Love this album. Much more interesting than Beth Orton. Also reminded me of the brilliant tv show Monkey Dust, which is a good thing

I went back and forth on this one..technically and theoretically it's a 5 for me, although, like many albums that have an icy, glacial sangfroid, I tend to play them a little less and have gravitated much more towards Black Cherry and Seventh Tree. That said, having given it a few listens today, thematically this is eeringly ahead of its time and it's topics of trans/post humanism, particularly on Humans and Utopia are perfect for today's tech"Utopia". Even the cover seems to hint at cloning. Released exactly one year before 9/11 but looking much further ahead. Although get Oompah Radar onto the Elephant Man soundtrack already!!

Two days ago upon listening to Beth Orton I wrote: Very listenable without giving me any “wow” factor. Ditto. Just a little less interesting for me.

Was worried I was going to fall asleep the entire runtime. At least it doesn't drag on for too long, but incredibly boring and basic.

I would see the movie that includes these songs like 5 times in the theater.

Seventh Tree is a lot better than this. The whole Nancy Sinatra thing works for her, but the circus music doesn’t.

Will never listen again but decent

Sounded like one big Bond soundtrack....that isn't a bad thing (3.5)

I actually thought it was going to be pop bangers so I was surprised . It was still nice and well produced . The first half of the album sounded like Bond tracks.

it's moody and sultry but not my usual speed. it feels good for a specific time or place. it reminds me of a dimly lit hotel lobby with some retro decor. very chill and a good background to set the mood.

Didn't expect to like this album but I did. It's certainly not my go to style or genre, feeling like a precursor to Gaga, in this cabaret esque vibe.

5/10 - Its beautifully weird. I mean, I really like weird, but I couldn't get into this Fav Tracks: Human, Utopia Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? --–-- ❌ Will Listen Again? -- ❌ Album Cover -------appropriate

So good, so smooth, I could listen to this every single Sunday morning.

Boring.

Like 39 minutes of movie credits.

Sometimes Bond-esque, but sometimes just overwrought. OK if you're in the mood.

A few words entered my mind while listening to this, including "no" and "why".

I love this album! :) so nice to listen to it again!

Pretty anonymous, IMO.

A weird album that I hadn't heard anything from before, they really did change their style a lot. I did quite like it but there were some songs I didn't like, my opinion ended up dropping towards the end unfortunately. Just needed a little more, probably won't listen again.

Interesting vibe

Skulle kört instrumentellt. Det här väsenliknande pisset står man inte ut med.

Gillade det till en början men tröttnade efter hand.

Som en enda lång Bond-låt. En brittisk 00-talsrelease i ”electronica”-facket som jag inte irriterar mig på. Kul ny bekantskap, blev golvad av den lena jazzpipan. Känns som jag kommer fortsätta med glädjebetygen idag!

Bondkompatibelt namn, bondkompatibelt sound.

Bondcore

An album in search of a James Bond title sequence. I thought this was some well put-together music, even if the songs start to blend together after a while.

Nice sound. Enjoyable.

Not my type of music

I'm more familiar with later Goldfrapp work, which is a bit livelier than this album. This was very downtempo trip-hop, almost more of an ambient soundscape than anything else. I'm usually a lyrics-first kind of listening, but Alison's voice really is just another texture of the music here and what she's actually singing doesn't really matter. This sounds like a lost James Bond soundtrack from the era when David Arnold was scoring them. I enjoyed this, but definitely prefer my trip-hop by Massive Attack or Portishead.

Electronica, ambient, trip hop, electro-cabaret.

stop whispering in my ear

A fascinating mix of old school cabaret/jazz/pop and electronica, this is a really unique record. Sultry yet spaced out, this builds on a Portishead style (which I admittedly love). Not a ton of variation in the tunes but the overall vibe is one of a off-kilter, futuristic spy film.

Ominous and weird

Enjoyable mellow listen. Will likely listen again, even though there are very odd bits.

First time listen, and though it excellent. Only knew one Goldfrapp song before this (I bet you can't guess which one), so was pleased to hear their first LP. Will definitely listen again.

feels like an interlude

Ehhhhh

I like human, rest of album wasn’t really good imo.

This was very interesting music. I feel like I need to give it another listen to absorb it all.

Tight & chill. I'm familiar with Goldfrapp, but I guess it was their more electronic stuff.

24. 골드 프랩 - 펠트 마운틴 총 9곡 수록, 39분. 너무 몽환적이기만 해~~ 듣다가 자꾸 잠들어서 오래걸림 노래를 들으면서 자는 건 좋아하지만 노래가 졸린건 별개다 한줄평: 조금만 더 힘 센 부분이 있었더라면... 취향: ★☆☆☆☆ 재방문: ★☆☆☆☆

Sounded like the soundtrack to some old 40’s film noir with rainy streets and smoky hotel lounges.

This was not at all what I was expecting. A few of these tracks could very well have been played during the opening sequence of a James Bond movie while other songs made me think I was walking through a three ring circus. The music was interesting but I have no idea why I had to listen to this album before I die.

When the lounge singer drops one too many tabs of acid before the set begins…

James Bond movie vibes, but not the cool Bond themes songs. This is the mood music within the movie. Not bad, singer has a wonderful voice. Overall not for me.

Üks hea lugu ("Utopia") kõige muu vahele. Võibolla oli seal lihtsalt vähem veidrust. Plaat on vire lihtsalt seepärast, et olla vire ja kui üldjuhul mulle säänsed alternatiivsed kõlad meeldivad, siis siin kindlasti mitte. 2.3/5

#weird music.

Have heard about this group, but never listened to them. the album started off well enough; really liked the 2nd track (Paper Bag), and didn't even mind the slow descent into noir weirdness. But by the time the singer started hocking loogies (Deer Stop), I was pretty much over it. The album ended on a couple of high notes (Utopia, Horse Tears), but it's not something I would return to. Mercury Prize or not, Like most of this odd 1001 list, not sure why this is "essential listening".

This was pretty good, calm and relaxing. I liked it pretty much. It's a good one to listen while studying.

some dynamic variation in its pace and this could've been a 5/5

Works fine as a downtempo album, but it doesn’t do much more than that for me. 𝘍𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 has a moody, almost cinematic feel, and it stays consistent throughout, but it also tends to fade into the background after a while. It’s pleasant and well put together, just not something that really holds my attention from start to finish.

Could not hear almost any words sang. But no annoying instrumentals

Better than silence but I won’t be back. 2.5/5

I initially thought this would be interesting but then it just got boring.

No idea? Ok. I went in cold and at first I was loving it. I mean sultry voice cinematic soundscape is definitely something I can spend some time with, and I really like weird. I gave Barry Adamson 4 stars! But then the high pitched synths were given what felt like more and more weight. By the end I was ready to stab some Felt. 3 stars. Lucky stars. Had the album been longer the rating would have been lower. Boolean rating: yes, I suppose I appreciate hearing this before I die…

This is niche alternative at its finest. Goldfrapp is an artist looking for a James Bond film to champion. Sultry, interesting, and somewhat sinister. Maybe should could sing for the super villain!

Annoying.

This album is nice enough. It varies from really interesting to drifting into the background to the point you forget your listening to it. It's just kind of there. Lots of the album sounds like it would be the score to a film, fitting really with Bond or Virgin Suicides a la Air. This is another album that is ok.

Nice background music...

Wow, a whole album that sounds like the opening lead to a James Bond movie. Extra surprised to learn that she didn't actually get to make any James Bond lead! What a shame, would've work perfectly. I wouldn't exactly call this the type of music I listened to, but I really enjoyed the album. It was unlike anything we've had on this list before. And it certainly left you in a very specific emotional mood. Felt conceptually clean that way, which I really enjoyed. The downside with the album is that there is no song that I really feel stands out, or that I can listen to on repeat without getting tired. It's more the album as a whole that delivers (except for 'Oompa Radar' which was a bit too much circus themed). While I feel like this might be a strong 3, I've give loads of really crappy albums that I don't appreciate 3 stars. This one I actually enjoyed, so giving it a weak 4 to distinguish it from the lot.

I only knew Goldfrapp from the song “Ooh La La” after it was featured in Crazy, Stupid, Love. It was fun to hear that they have more tracks, this album felt quite different from the upbeat electronic sound I was expecting. They have a very cool style, with sultry vocals leaning into what many have described as a James Bond–like groove. The downside is that the album starts to feel very samey after a few songs and I was ready for a shift in sound, but they stuck closely to the same formula. Strong 3.

nice sound

This had all the trappings of something I should love. English electro-indie from the early 2000s. But I just didn't connect with it.

Wasn't really feeling it. But I was driving with my kids

I bet Beyonce is pissed she can't do this

Part John Barry, part Air's ‘Moon Safari’, ‘Felt Mountain’ plays like the soundtrack to a forgotten 1960s spy movie mixed with smoky cabaret and retro European movie glamour. Lush cinematic arrangements combine with theatrical and carnivalesque flourishes to create an album and sound that is utterly strange in parts, but a worthwhile listen, nonetheless.

This was pretty cool for an electronic pop album. Sounds like it could be a Bond soundtrack.

3.2 What shawns-music1 said

Easy to listen to, but it didn't inspire me to listen to any more

This is a beautiful album but not really my jam

Deze lieden zetten heel adequaat het sfeertje neer van spionagefilms uit de jaren zestig, en daar ben ik nou eenmaal heeeeeeel gevoelig voor (shout out naar de gloednieuwe 'expanded edition' van John Barry's muziek voor Diamonds are forever, yeah baby!). Goede arrangementen, duistere akkoorden, een beetje lounge-tempo... Neemt u maar alvast even een whisky, terwijl ik even wat gemakkelijkers aantrek. Tuurlijk, het is een pastiche, maar wel goed gedaan. Het is goed dat niet alle muziek zo klinkt, maar op z'n tijd wordt ik hier heel erg blij van. En als ze dan om mij over de streep te trekken er een koekoeksklok aan toevoegen, dan kan ik het gewoon niet weerstaan.

Kijk nou eens, een ware toevoeging aan de lijst! Een uniek schijfje, wat ondanks bijzondere keuzes (Het meest opvallende nummer is Oompa Radar; je waant je in een pretpark) zeer makkelijk wegluistert. Goldfrapp lijkt flink gekeken te hebben naar andere artiesten uit verschillende tijden. Zo komen de muzikale stijlen van Shirley Bassey (o.a. Lovely Head) en Björk (o.a. Human) voorbij, zonder dat de zang van de dames wordt geïmiteerd. Het album blijft rustig, maar krijgt de wind mee van elektronische versterking. Door genoemde muzikale opzet ontstaat hiermee een soort cross-over tussen de jaren '60 en '90/'00. Soms wordt het triphop zoals bij Utopia, maar vaak is er juist geen drijvende beat. Al met al een prachtig uniek geluid, dat 5 sterren verdient!

Triphop met zoals Roel al zegt een jaren '60 spionage-vibe. Ik moest bij het eerste nummer idd gelijk denken aan Shirley Bassey, met het zwoele trage zingen. Maar ik moest ook denken aan de door mij zo gehate Caro Emerald. Als dit het hele album zo doorgaat, kan het ook een karikatuur worden van zichzelf, een trucje. Gelukkig slaat de weegschaal meer door naar dat ik het leuk en relaxed vind, dan dat ik me er Caroesque aan erger. Al is het soms wel iets teveel carnaval en rariteitenkabinet voor mijn smaak. Het is buiten mijn comfortzone, maar ik vind het wel veel grappiger om zoiets als dit te luisteren, dan de zoveelste plaat van Morrissey of Elvis Costello. Laat ik daarom een 4 geven, ook al is dat voor mij misschien aan de hoge kant.

Some moments of real beauty but generally really boring. I love the album cover!

Good lord. We've been in a slump with these records lately. These 2000s records are just so uninspiring. There has to be good stuff somewhere in this era but it's not on Felt Mountain that's for sure. Dull, repetitive, and way too pretentious for it's own good.

I actually liked this one pretty ok (I was not a fan of the other gladfrapp album on this list). I won’t be coming back to this much probably but….I listened to the entire thing…

Don’t know what I listened to. Didn’t n we to hear it.

Different and interesting

Good, not great.

Trip-Hop James Bond soundtrack songs are not something I am missing from my life. Or, they are missing from my life but that’s because I never wanted them or sought them out. So, they are not in my life, but they aren’t missing. Like they’re not there but I’m not sad about the fact that they’re not there. An absence without any regret associated with said absence. I didn’t like this.

lush and mellow

White Lotus music, anyone?

Some of this is ok and some is dull and slow. I think the latter will win out but I could be wrong. This is like a slow jam jazz. Electro jazz perhaps? I get that jazz can be slow so perhaps that wasn’t the right summary. Ahhh ya, this isn’t going anywhere fast. Or slow. It’s going downhill very VERY slow. Whiney style vocals over new age Radiohead is what I hear and it doesn’t work. Next

spannender mix von stilen, mit etwas Lunik aus den frühen jahren. gefällt.

Delightfully smooth. A slightly frothier Portishead.

Goldfrapp – Felt Mountain (2000) On Day 114, I experienced an album that perfectly balances elegance with an eerie vibe. The production is immaculate, especially the way it interprets a classical aesthetic through both the instrumentation and the vocals. It’s an outstanding body of work that feels like a cinematic journey. "Human" and "Utopia" were the major highlights for me the technical chemistry between the electronic and the operatic vocals is high-level.This is the kind of record that provides a total escape. A definitive 5/5

Felt Mountain by Goldfrapp felt like the soundtrack to a Bond film that never quite gets going and is a little bit crap! I gave this album two listens to make sure I wasn’t being overly harsh first time around, but unfortunately my opinion didn’t change. It’s a difficult listen and, for me, quite dull throughout. There are moments where you can appreciate the atmosphere and intent, but it never really grabs you or pulls you back in. Overall, it feels dated. This kind of trip hop and cinematic electronica has been done better elsewhere, and hasn’t aged particularly well. It leans heavily on mood, but lacks the standout moments to justify it. Favourite tracks: Paper Bag was okay Least favourite tracks: Oompa Radar is a bizarre listen Album artwork: Cool cover – probably the best thing about the album

Fine

I enjoyed this a fair bit. Alison Goldfrapp has a good voice, and the music has a nice Bond-style vibe. Three, but right on the upper end.

I got another album of Goldfrapp's that I absolutely loved, but this one is an odd choice for this list. Almost every songs sounds like an attempt at a James Bond style theme song. It just sadly isn't consistent enough in quality, and few odd choices that made me cringe hard. 3.25 / 5

Weird mashup of genres, lovely vocals, it mostly worked for me.

Generally enjoyed the creepy cabaret atmosphere of this album, but only a few tracks stood out to me as memorable. The first track and the last 2. Don't see myself returning tonight again.

Goldfrapp is one of my favourite bands from this genre. However, I think that they have several better albums than this one (Supernature and Black Cherry at least). Felt Mountain has a few really good songs, but the last ones are a little more anonymous. The strongest features of the album is Alisson Goldfrapps haunting voice and the melancholic and slow paced melodies. Favourite songs: Utopia, Lovely Head and Human.

Really enjoyed this! I'll listen again. Influences by portishead and the like but still completely unique

There are not many of these Smokey, neo-noir, post-trip hop, post-end of history albums that do the business for me, but this one’s poise, restraint and melody distinguishes it from hotel-bar contemporaries. They’re a rare outfit who heard the Portishead trend and thought, “now our music’s popular” rather than “this sounds cool, let’s copy it”.

A relic from the era when remaking "You Only Live Twice" was the recipe for success. "Lovely Head" starts the process well enough, but nothing much happens until "Utopia" near the end; both are anchored by interesting synth treatments but little else.

nostalgično

Sounds like the film score to an incredible indie film. Music and vocals that draw you in and envelop you. The soft whispered vocals could be seen as melancholic and sentimental with someone else, but it works really well here. Love this.

Spooky yet calming Likes: Pilots; Utopia

3/5

Have loved this album since it came out. A 4.5

Lush downtempo electronic and cinematic pop built on sweeping strings, subtle beats, textured synths, and hushed, intimate vocals unfolds with slow, deliberate control. Listening feels like sitting in an arthouse cinema—endless lingering shots where you oscillate between fascination and barely tolerable slowness. The result is immersive and aesthetically striking, but its pacing can feel almost unbearably drawn-out.

Decent listen

Dark, moody, quite relaxing in places. Not all that memorable, and despite being quite pretty in places, did very little to excite me. Weird Harry Potter theme tune near the end. Utopia the best track.

I love everything I’ve heard from Goldfrapp but hadn’t listened to an album from them. This is a great debut album - very downtempo with a lounge feel to it. Good production and a fun listen.

I think I would be forgiven for thinking this record is here because of the introductory song. But to my genuine surprise, the whole album is a pleasant, cohesive experience. It's not something I'd listen to often, but given the right circumstances this is a great record.

The vocals didn't do it for me, which is a shame, because I really did enjoy this gloomy soundscape.

268/1001 Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ Felt Mountain feels like a slightly poppier, more ethereal version of a Portishead record and I absolutely love it. There are a couple of tracks that don't quite work for me, but a fantastic record nonetheless.

Goldfrapp's Will Gregory appeared on this list near the very beginning, as a session saxophonist on the Tears for Fears song "The Working Hour", which appeared on that band's album Songs From the Big Chair. well, 15 years later, here he is doing something completely different! well, not completely; Goldfrapp's music is certainly no less smooth and sophisticated. this duo, named for its other half Alison Goldfrapp, were late additions to the UK trip hop wave which was most ascendant in the 90s. there's a noir atmosphere in their work most apparent in the orchestral arrangements, and it's paired with some great electronics, drum programming, and a haunting lead vocal from Goldfrapp throughout. any of these songs could be a Bond theme and it wouldn't feel out of place. decent 7/10.

This kinda passed me by. Floaty and electro and surprisingly bland. I didnt give it the attention it deserves so maybe my fault as well.

This was so cool and weird! Favorites include Deer Stop and Felt Mountain, which I swear is either familiar to something else or it was used in a show or movie or something and it’s driving me crazy that I can’t place it.

Boy, this starts with a classic song and then really loses momentum.

Fap

Þetta er bara solid plata. Mjög spes og næs. Gott sound og kvikmyndaleg tónlist.

Bara fínt. Góð vinnutónlist.

I liked the electronic sounds of this album. Some songs were almost creepy, but in a good way, and it was fun to listen to. I’d never heard any of these songs before, but I’ve heard of Goldfrapp and heard a couple of their other songs, but I enjoyed this album.

Et downtempo-album her. Ikke helt på nivå med Ray of Light. Rett og slett for kjedelig for meg i skrivende øyeblikk. Top 3: Utopia, Lovely Head, Paper Bag

6/10

They have better albums imho