Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Loved it ! Goldfrapp somewhat came late to the trip-hop party, but they certainly brought something to the table in terms of inovation. While Alison Goldfrapp is not my favorite singer, she’s comfortable with all sorts of vocal experimentations, from trip-hop to ethereal / dream pop and post-rock. There’s a touch of Cocteau Twins here, a bit of CocoRosie, and even a splash of something like Sigur Ros. Will Gregory (who has worked with a ton of talented bands in the past) managed to create a unique atmosphere, experimenting with a wide range of samples and real instruments (props for using a theremin and a crank organ !). The production still feels a bit rough around the edges, but I really enjoyed the cinematic vibe and cabaret influences. I could absolutely imagine them doing an album (or a movie OST) with Ute Lemper. Can’t go as far as a 5* because a few songs still feel a bit unfinished, like they ran out of ideas before the end... But I’m definitely adding this to my rotation. It's a pity they later evolved towards a more synthpop style, something I'm not really fond of. 7/10
Nice, not more.
A truly great discovery! I really enjoyed listening to this album — so much that I feel like diving back into it and exploring more of this artist’s work. That alone makes it worth a solid 4 stars!
Not my bag unfortunadado I like some of the sounds and sometimes it does sound like a circus, house of mirrors maze which is sick other than that feels a lot longer than 40 min.
Nothing really to note. Pretty boring album with no particular standout tracks.
Chyba żaden z nas nie miał pojęcia, kim jest Goldfrapp zanim po raz pierwszy wyskoczyła nam na liście, ale zdecydowanie okazała się jednym z odkryć. Bardzo ambitny album, trudny, charakterny. Czasami jednym dźwiękiem wypełniający całą przestrzeń. Synthy przywodziły mi na myśl LP, brzmienie na granicy tanga i orkiestry brzmiały jak z filmu z Bondem (potem doczytałem, że faktycznie czerpali inspiracje z tej muzyki). "Human" to mój faworyt z tej płyty, przy każdym przesłuchaniu nadstawiałem uważniej ucha do niego. Nie jest to pełna piątka, ale naprawdę niewiele temu brakowało. Myślę, że innego dnia mógłbym dać maksymalną ocenę. Ale to wciąż świetny album, który utwierdził mnie w przekonaniu, że to artystka warta obserwowania. Odpaliłem sobie przy okazji ten drugi album z listy dla przypomnienia. 4,5/5
This album is like a tree you are passing by every day going to work. Completly mundane and unassuming but if you stop for a second you can see melancholy and beauty. It could be medicore 3 or heartwrenching 5 if you let it. Amazing music but it requires a little bit of work from a listener.
Pretty great. Not heard it before, but have added to my spotify playlists.
If you like Bjork you will enjoy this album, similar feel and textures.
kinda cool album at some parts, some other parts were boring thouh
Good music. Unique voice.
I dont really have an ear for appreciating songs in this style unfortunately. It felt too flat and drony.
An old film
Heavily whelmed by this, nothing really good or remarkable about it?
Never heard of Goldfrapp before, but this is such a beautiful album. The pop/orchestral music combined with the hypnotic vocals of Alison Goldenfrapp is just mesmerizing. There's really almost an other-worldly alien feel to it - especially in Deer Stop where they're using a weird alien voice that is slightly offputting. Oompah Radar and Horse Tears both give me vibes that i'm stuck in an abandoned haunted carnival; then other songs sound like the intro to a James Bond movie.
Not that bad in a strange way.
Not quite my bag at points, but can appreciate how good it is
Real shame about the rise in popularity of the frappuccino because this music does not sound caffeinated at all. Felt Mountain is a cocktails and synthesizers vibe.
Two Goldfrapp albums on the list is insanely generous. It's fine, but very forgettable.
Painfully slow and boring
Lost interest halfway through to be honest, but hung on for the best track, Utopia
Enjoyable but mostly unremarkable trip hop. Has some cool moments though.
Really liked the first song but after that there was no real highlight anymore ... a bit dissapointing.
Very boring
I don't know how I had not heard of Goldfrapp - Alison;s voice is mesmerizing and the music has some ethereal qualities. This album falls into "electronica" (I guess) by default. Pleasant surprise. Does not need to be on the 1,001 list, though.
Sounds very beautiful but soo slow
At first, I was drawn in. Then, not so much.
Light dance music. Few odd songs, but ok overall. 5/10
Отличный альбом. Каждая песня самобытна, но при этом все они объединены общими чертами звучания. Мне очень понравилось слушать смешение различных жанров с электронной музыкой в одном альбоме
Didn’t care for it.
Nice, catches from the beginning on. Like a classic symphony but added weirdness spice
The best album of the 2000s I’ve discovered from this site. Baroque pop with synths that is eerie and beautiful. Some of it feels sci-fi, most of it feels spooky. There’s a polka performed on synths that would somehow please both Tom Waits and The Doors. I respect amazing performers who decide their first project is weird and spooky.
Was ok. Like a circus meets a brothel
Alison's Goldfrapp half of the duo has an amazing voice and their influences contains folk,cabaret,pop and of course electronic elements where Alison is the queen with her synths.The result is a dramatic almost cabaret sound with sophisticated coctail music elegance,orchestral James Bond like strings kits and an Aphex Twin fx mood in songs bits.Most of the times you think you can almost hear a Theremin.This album could have been easily a soundtrack to a futuristic film noir if there is such a thing. Songs i enjoyed: Lovely Head is like an experimental 60's song,nostalgic and beautiful, Pilots is quite eerie almost operatic and dreamy with a twist,just a bit, In Deer Stop you need to have patience until the end to see how she tweaks her voice into something magical,to the very end though, In Felt Mountain the high notes along with the more electronic build is amazing reminded me of Balearic sounds ''it's a fine day''song vibes and 60's synth experimentalism,one of my favourites, --Oompa Radar really creeped me out,the weirdest thing ever,starts like a futuristic waltz,has a March turn,ends up like something it could have been played in American Horror series the ones with the circus weirdos,my least favourite-- Utopia is a more powerful electronic bliss,also a favourite,used to play a remix of it back in my Dj days, Overall it's not that good.no surprises there but yet it's sophisticated.At the end i will give it a 2.5, so 3/5 to me.
Best Song: Utopia I never heard of this. Then I started listening to the electronic music and I realized why - I'm not a big fan of electronic music. This isn't as bad as some electronica I have heard but still nothing I would ever listen to again. 3/5.
We had another Goldfrapp album just 3 days ago. Didn't like it. Big shocker - didn't like this one either. I will say I did like the first track, "Lovely Head", quite a bit. Sounded to me like a spaghetti western theme with a bit of sci fi influence. Thought maybe this album would change my opinion of the group. Then the second song kicked in, and pretty much every song after. Can't say it's an awful album, just boring to my ears.
Please refer to my previous Goldfrapp review three days ago! My opinion still stands.
We're back to the Frapp, after a short hiatus, and I'm afraid that this one really didn't grab me in the same way as Seventh Tree did. It has some of the same positive elements - it's quite dreamlike, the vocals are lovely - but was much more easy to ignore. There just wasn't quite the same level of memorable songwriting. Still, I'm not complaining, it was perfectly decent.
Contemplative. Good for a quiet dinner
I felt like I was in a James Bond dream
This album would be interesting if it wasn't so boring.
Snooze
Goldfrapp has some good tracks on other albums.
This album was very interesting. I got some weird James Bond vibes from some of the songs, honestly, though not entirely sure why. The singing also reminded me a lot of Broadway.
Track 1: Is this a Bond theme tryout? Tracks 2 through 4: See comment 1. Track 5: What? Bad.
I really liked the sad piano and vocals. The vibe was great through the whole album, and the jazzy female vocals had a lot of intrigue in every song. I saved the album but I would only listen to it for character inspiration.
This was a strange mix of boring & clown music, with a little bit of Johnny Test thrown into the title track. Not nearly as unpleasant as some other albums, but still not worth listening to. Of the early electronic music, I find this the least compelling
Blending folk and electronica in a sometimes fun and interesting, sometimes clowny and ridiculous, fusion. The songs that gave dimly lit club with James Bond love interest vibes are great, the ones that felt like baby's first FL Studio session are not.
Super pleasant vibes
Ihan kiinnostava pop-levy 2000-luvulta. mut ei kyllä nelonen kuitenkaan.
Sounds like budget Portishead.
Great album Only skip was oopmah radar Very impressive spooky/eerie album that I’m typically not a fan of
This album was not for me. It sounded ok and some of the music they were able to create was definitely unique and sounded good but ultimately it just didn’t hold my attention and quickly became (pleasant) background noise. No standout tracks for this one.
I like the vibe on this. Human was easily the standout track for me.
Favorite tracks: Human, Lovely Head, Utopia I really can't decide if I love or hate this. Some songs seem like they belong on a James Bond soundtrack, others remind me of a dystopian future, and some sound like Ross Geller is on keyboard. Going with a higher rating simply because they really caught my attention and did a great job creating a unique sound! Also opening with that ominous whistling 👌🏼 excellent attention grabber
A bit more I dont know, House Jazz? than her later electronic stuff. I prefer the later stuff.
Beautiful, beguiling, slinky, seductive, mystical, mysterious, off-kilter, quirky, magical. I like this way better than the other Goldfrapp album I’ve gotten from this list (Seventh Tree). Reminiscent of both trip-hop, downtempo stuff, as well as art-pop like Kate Bush and Talk Talk. On first listen I was a little uncertain but on a second listen, I was totally sold. Must-listen #216.
The floor pastry version of portishead
A nice listen. More style over substance but I enjoyed it anyway
Seems like bizarre background music, not my vibe
Strange album, sounds like a bunch of silent movie theme songs. It doesn't really grab me, but I dig the experimental feel. Still, it would be a 2.5 for me probably. Bumping.
I liked it well enough. Like Trip Hop, but mellow(er). It would be good background, chilling music. Doesn't require actively listening. It does tend to all run together though. I'd say I'll listen to this again, but it's doesn't really call out to me. So, if I don't put it on a playlist now, I may never run across it again. After listening, I got some random songs and a few others by Goldfrapp and they were a little more energetic and good. May have to dig into the catalog. I'm going to give it a 4 even though it's between a 3 and a 4. There's really nothing wrong with any of it. It's just not super-grabby. But you know, a time and place for everything!
Nope.
I've heard of this artist and some of their music. Interested to check out their album. A little too mellow for me but definitely respect and realize why this is in this list. Very artistic.
It's a weird album, but kinda fun in it's own way. The Kanye sample hit me out of left field.
Strange News from Another Star
I likethe enigmatic whimsy of this album. Oompah Radar is definitely the highlight for me, I could very well hear it as BGM in a game like Fran Bow- and that's saying something! The singer's voice has a sirenic quality to it, I was mesmerized by Horse Tears especially. It's not exactly the kind of album that I'll put on loop for months on end...but it evoked a very unique mood.
This was interesting but weird. It kinda went between mournful melancholy to just outright strange. Idk I liked parts of it but toward the end it started to get too weird for me
An odd album. Very ethereal sounding. I liked it, except when I didn’t. There’s one song that wouldn’t sound out of place at a spooky carnival, and not in a good way.
# Playlist Track - Utopia # Notes - A highly experimental album that gets a lot of things right. - The spacey-jazzy-atmosphere is cool and involving but a few tracks are a bit too slow. - Worth the listen, but Goldfrapp's latter albums are a bit more fun.
Really interesting techno jazz something very unique you dont see often. Kind of similar to Portishead in a way.
Not Great
Really liked it, down memory lane
Not awful, would make some nice soft background music at a nice restaurant. But I'm not feeling it - even a little bit.
An album of Bond Theme songs.
Exquisite.
James Bond in space
5/10 - disappointed because I expected more, the initial song is a classic but then it is a bit boring, there are no other standout songs
I always like Goldfrapp more than I think i will.
Good pop artist, but not her best work.
0 of 5 I tried. It hurt my ears so bad. I could not make it through sorry.
Lovely album but not nearly their best work. Doesn't deserve to be here.
Unique but got uninteresting pretty fast.
Interesting, kinda trip hop adjacent
This is what I always expected Portishead would sound like based on reading reviews of Dummy! Where the latter ends up sounding a bit conventional, if cold, this one's exactly the kind of retrofuturist album I really wanted to hear.
Annoying
Really good and on my field
WTF is this?! First thought based on first song was "Portishead wannabees." the whistle, the snare, the sultry vocals. Then I thought, "are they gonna break into 'Goldfinger'?" Totally 1970s James Bond vibe going on. Is that a theremin I hear? I kinda liked the first song, "Lovely Head." Then "Paper Bag" comes on and I picture a dude in a ruffly shirt plucking a guitar standing next to a lounge singer, and then the strings kick in. Not liking it so much there. Then "Human" comes on and I hear this 70s vibe again and it's got this cool funky horn section popping in and out. I'm liking that one! Then we slow down to the lounge singer jazz + theremin again. And from there on it out it loses me and gets really weird and slow and it drags and then gets annoyingly weird and unpleasant ("Oompa Radar"... just hideously awful). Can't decide whether to give this an A for effort on the uniqueness scale, or an F for being weird just to be weird and for copying Portishead but mostly failing to achieve anything close to the musical greatness of Portishead's best work. Other than a couple of moments (most of "Lovely Head," all of "Human," and I couple of other spots which I found myself being strangely attracted to, on whole I don't really like the album.
I liked it, but the sound seemed very repetitive
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 👱♀️🪞👱♀️ Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🌌🎹🎻 Rating: 🪮🪮🪮(🪮)/5
a bit too weird for me
2.11
Wasn't feeling this.
I enjoyed a lot of this. Felt like I was the understudy listening to the soundtrack of a James Bond film. It was definitely more pleasant than some of the other ambient sounding albums on this exercise.
I was digging the first half of this. Really unique blend of styles with the jazzy, Smokey bar vocals and some electronic type stuff coming in. Some songs sounded like a Bond soundtrack. There were a couple songs towards the back that lost me. Seemed a bit like throwaways or incomplete ideas. Overall still enjoyed. 2.75
I listened to this on Friday and had pretty much forgotten it existed by Monday. I remember thinking it was pretty cool so mid tier rating it is. 2.75/5
Very interesting, avant garde experimental kinda thing, beautiful at moments.
Oh, this album has some beautiful music in it. I've always felt that electronic music is the only music to actually elicit emotion out of my autistic ass for some reason. It does sort of lose me in the middle, when things slow down and get a little more offbeat, but it picks itself up and I love where it goes. Shout out to "Paper Bag" and "Utopia".
Not human. Must be a dud
And once again I fell for it. I mistook Goldfrapp for another band with a similar name. So my expectations of the album were low. I'd seen the cover before, probably heard the CD once, but had no concrete memory of the music. When I heard the first few notes, I realized the mistake I mentioned at the beginning. I really liked this album. I like the style and think the sound is cool. The album won't be one of my top albums, but it comes close. 4/5
Experimental and weird, but kinda cool in an ethereal sort of way.
Very dark and moody. File it under I can appreciate what it is but also don’t need to listen to any of it again
slow and steady
2 estrelas
Bad EDM showtunes? Dull and annoying, count me out on this one.
It was a nice enough listen but ultimately didn't really do anything for me.
Went my whole life thinking goldfrapp were a pop duo. They are in fact this nonsense
I feel like this album has so much potential and I love the sound of it, but not quite an all timer. There's some stunning tracks on there but generally pulled out to a 3.5ish.
There's something strangely comforting about these songs, and I can't quite put my finger on it... Sometimes it sounds soft, like a "morning sounds" you put on while having breakfast, and other times it sounds like the soundtrack to a thriller. It's not something I'd listen to every day, but it was a very interesting experience. 3 stars.
p868, 2000. 2 stars. Great voice, but not her best work by any means. Strays into weirdness far too often for repeated listening.
Has some really nice songs and atmosphere but it also lacks consistency in their songwriting. Nice but not great
Clearly her best work. Beautiful and mesmerizing!
The vibe and overall atmosphere are very well made and captivating. I would just have hope a little more wild twists and efficient songwriting. Great album, tho!
Pretty trippy, though soothing.
Achingly trendy, all the songs sound like musical beds for adverts. Not anything more than "passing fare".
Delightful. Would like to listen again drinking wine and relaxing of an evening. Beautifully arranged. Trippy vocals.
60s James Bond!
I'll give this girl a few points because her music's really sexy
One of those albums that reminds you this book was written by a British guy, because no one outside of the UK has ever listened to Goldfrapp willingly. Neither weird enough to work as experimental music nor catchy enough to be pop music — with the notable exception of the excellent Air/Portishead knockoff "Utopia."
This is like the Garbage Bond theme for an off-brand film. Nothing like some theremin (maybe theremin-adjacent) noise to add to the enjoyment of an album. Goldfrapp heard Portishead and thought they could do that. This is the score to a neo-noir film set in Paris. The theremin is back! I bet Zach Braff heard this and wanted to find a place for it in a moody sci-fi relationship on a spaceship film. I get the label "cinematic" when referring to an album now. Why wouldn't you add yodeling to your electronica, natural fit. A circus music interlude feels about right.
It was pleasant. Very Bond-y but a bit sleepy. Might revisit.
Her vocals make electronica interesting. I can't say that I am a true fan, but I am intrigued and keep listening to the eerie, throaty, weirdly delicate and inviting compositions.
This was haunting and ethereal and I remember the fuss around it when it came out. I prefer the two following albums though. This was Alison getting into her stride but Ooh la la she got better.
Sweet, haunting songs that seemed like they were from a 60s noir movie.
This was great. Strange, atmospheric, confident. Alright, I'm a Goldfrapp fan.
This was OK. Felt like Bond-movie music. Also serious Portishead vibes (who also feel like Bond-movie music). Not sure how essential this is, but it's chill.
radiohead for women.
(3.5 stars)
Quite a few of the tracks sounds like James Bond opening songs for movies that done exist. That’s a compliment. Alternates between engaging and bizarre. I was never bored. But my patience was tested a few times. 3/5
Ya había escuchado algunos discos de Goldfrapp, esta bien para de repente escuchar algo que te puede relajar, pero no es mi gusto favorito.
Fantastic sounds, caught somewhere between a horror script in the 1930’s and the future!
grave pas mon truc
Reminder not to trust the overall ratings on this site
Slow cinematic and moody, this combines pre-rock loungey jazz with big orchestral production and post-rock atmospherics with emphasis on texture and tension - these two moments are merged through the filter of late 90s ambient electronica and downtempo trip hop beats.
Listened Before? N It's a good album. Goldfrapp is a cool project. This is their third album on this list. That is not necessary or wanted. Sleepy electronic music to nap to. Added to Library: N Songs added to playlist: Lovely Head
Sounds like someone remixed the first ten James Bond movies slow songs with gentle electronic beats. 2/5
so bizarrely good and bad
No me esperaba canciones tan buenas. El único problema es que o hay canciones muy mediocres o hay temazos. He escuchado muy poco de este tipo de género y me parece super interesante darle una oportunidad y conocer más. Una canción que destacaría es "Human".
Slow evenings to the circus 🎪 🌙
I feel like on paper this album should be really good, and in a way it still is really unique. But somehow at the same time it's so bland and completely lacks substance.
interesting
A little bit one dimensional but did enjoy the listen through. It all sounds quite similar.
Beautiful voice. Very soothing music. Surprisingly good.
Lyder meget forud for dusin tid
Godt fund! Aldrig hørt Goldfrapp før men det leger med genrer på en måde der lige er mig!
Pretty boring electronic stuff.
Huh. That wasn’t very good.
Maybe I just don’t get it but I really did not like this one
first listen absolutely cinematic and i loved it
I’ve only heard the later, dancier stuff, so I guess I didn’t realize that Goldfrapp sounds like this, too. Really think Fellini would’ve loved some of these songs at the end.
Extremely beautiful and emotional!
Simplemente perfecto
Great voice and production. Reminds me of Tim Burton movies! I especially liked “Deer Stop”, “Felt Mountain” and “Oompa Radar”. Wouldn’t have discovered this album without the list! Although I liked several songs, it’s not something I would listen to on a regular basis. I’ll look a little more into the band and their songs, because I found the album haunting and elegant - I enjoyed listening! :)
This sounds like a Bond movie soundtrack.
vibey but soporific
Fine I guess
Where has this album been my whole life ??? I’m so thankful that I got into the 1001 albums list because I get to discover so many great stuff I never heard of. This one really moved me.
Extreme magbay vibes. Really enjoyed this and will probably like it even more on subsequent listenings. I'm giving it 4 with no reference point. Might change to 5 eventually if I am able to.
3.5/5
I have to admit, although I was aware of Goldfrapp, I never really listened to any of there music outside of their singles chart fare. There's plenty to like here though - sweeping, cinematic and with a perverse melodic sense which is jazzy without ever descending into muzak and sassy without ever being smug. Yeah, I'm sure I'll listen to this again, it's like the weird electronic soundtrack to an imaginary 60s movie - it just lacks something *special*, a lot of the songs play out as interesting ideas that don't really go anywhere. That's not to say a big, fat sing-along chorus is appropriate for every type of song, just that Felt Mountain kind of gently trickles by you without ever really grabbing you by the scruff of the neck and demanding you pay attention. It's a pleasant experience from start to finish nonetheless, maybe just not entirely for my default mood and tastes.
Favorite Track: Lovely Head
It didn't do much for me.
Pleasant.
I'd give this a zero if I could, it's an absolute car crash. Why wouldn't you pick Julee Cruise or Portishead over this?
Moody and well done, but lacked variety overall.
This is a fun album, that nice blend of pop and a more techno jazz sound. Not a-list material but there's plenty in there to like - certainly a few songs at least for the b-list. 3/5 stars.
I had never heard of Goldfrapp before, but I really enjoyed this album! Alison Goldfrapp's vocals are fantastic, and the electronic elements in the tracks add a unique touch. This is exactly the kind of surprise I hope to find in this list of albums. It's experimental, mysterious, and interesting. The only track that didn’t quite hit the mark for me was "Oompa Radar," which I would describe as a haunted rollercoaster tycoon soundtrack.
Huh
Decent background music maybe?
Real big ask for café beats to overcome a doll baby cover. Horse Tears is good creepy
It reminded me of a music you'd hear in an elevator of a hotel that's trying to be cooler and sexier than it is. Barely made it to the finish line.
Meh but spooky, though a pretty good backdrop to me reading Frankenstein right now.
a david lynch/vampire movie soundtrack 6,89/10
Envolvente...
This was in my regular rotation something like 15 years ago. It's nostalgic to go back to, but doesn't quite hit the same for me anymore. Interesting and chill downtempo production, but doesn't catch me like it did. *heard before
⭐️⭐️/5. Most were too ethereal for me, but Oompah Radar was dope.
“Please let me do the next bond theme”
Pure slice of crooning heaven. Her voice is majestic with an amazing range. And, rather than just “classic” sounding stuff (ahem, Amy Winehouse) she stretched the song writing form and her self. The result is amazing.
My hot take: This is just as interesting and experimental as anything on Kid A, which came out around the same time and is considered a landmark album. The musical is whimsical and experimental, but the immediate impression I got from "You're Lovely Head" was luxurious. The textures throughout are lush, and it mixes orchestration and electronic elements seamlessly.
Liked this more than I thought I would
I’m a bit up and down with this album. I listened to it while on a drive and getting somewhat stuck in traffic. I liked how ambient it was at times, and it sounded very much like it could be a James Bond theme at multiple points. However, despite all of this, it has given me no longing to listen to it again. I felt like it was pretty interesting, but I’d have felt let down if I’d have paid money for the album rather than streaming it on Apple Music.
Classic
One of the greatest triphop albums. Mystic and cool. What a time that was!
The first half of this album is trip-hop at its finest, with interesting dark cabaret inflections. The second half loses some steam and seems a bit too unfocused. Still, a very enjoyable album.
Boring. Minimalistically ambiental. Some interesting moments. Overall, I don't know why it's on this list. 2/5
Goldfrapp’s 2000 debut is a dreamy and cinematic album blending ambient electronica with cabaret and classic trip-hop. Alison Goldfrapp’s vocals float elegantly over the stylish arrangements, but the album’s slow pace and theatrical tone become a bit too polished and distant over time. At moments, it even drifts into circus-like territory, and the cabaret elements can feel overpowering. Beautifully produced, but lacking the emotional depth and edge found in artists like Portishead and Björk. 3/5
Sounds like when Bond girls do ketamine in the Alps.
Helt klart et album som hadde fortjent at æ hørte på det med vilje og ikke med en halvhjerta innsats, men noen ganger går det som det går.
I kept wishing it sounded a little more like Portishead or Air.
This was a pleasant surprise! Super weird and fun to listen to
Pretty good
3 its fine
Intense and hip, like a James Bond theme song, but also downright weird. This album is downright outstanding!
Zzzzz…
High two but this ain't for me
Ni puta idea. Es música realmente extraña. Cómo de una escena de David Lynch. Parece algo de principios del siglo XX visto por una mirilla de los años 90.
I liked the incorporation of the operatic elements and the composition was great but I prefer their more energetic stuff
Very Europhic. Interesting. Well put together
First impression pre listen: So I've got no idea who or what this is. Apparently it's an electronic album. So far electronic stuff on here has been really hit or miss for me and have lead to the most boring listening experiences I've had since starting this list. I'm always feeling a bit cautious when heading into one for that reason. Don't really have any expectations what so ever. Hoping to be surprised by something unique. Individual track notes: Lovely Head Starts off unexpectedly with the whistling. Very retro sounding vocals. Unpleasant electronic noises. Mixed much louder than anything else on here. Kinda has an early sci-fi B-movie feel to it at times. Average. 2.5/5 Paper Bag Harpsichord? Somber and intimate sounding. Don't love how the vocals are mixed, they sort of sound a bit unclear at times. Has some pretty soundscapes, love the strings and what I think is an accordion. It's an interesting arrangement even if the track ends up a bit singular and slow paced. Fine. 3/5 Human I'll aknowledge that the instrumental is very inspired. Love the way the electronics is implemented with the retro almost spy movie adjacent instrumental. The strings are very evocative, and I love the use of what I think are horns as well. I just can't help but think it's really boring. There's definitely a lot of care going into the arrangement, and the vocals are ammicably performed so it's not bad. Fine. 3/5 Pilots Perfect music to literally fall asleep to if it wasn't for those really loud high pitched synths. For the lack of better words: boring and irritating. Dislike. 2/5 Deer Stop That was weird. In an unexplainable mostly unengaging way. Feels very indulgent, and at times even unpleasant. Don't love the effect on her voice. The lyrics can barely be discerned through it. And at the same time it's also just not a very fun track to listen to. Her voice is pretty sweet, and the strings do add a retro pop element to the song, but it ends up doing nothing for me. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Felt Mountain There's a bit of a folky traditional element to both the vocals and the percussion which is kinda interesting against the watery production. Ruined by the space synth, it genuinely does not fit against the background imagery. Luckily it doesn't ladt long. Has a bit of a beautiful, serene, wintery vibe which is really pleasant. Decent. 3.5/5 Oompah Radar Haunted circus music. Sounds like a carnival ride slowly running out of power. Won't say it's unpleasant, it's mostly just really boring. Dislike. 2/5 Utopia Kinda dynamic and engaging. Really like how layered the instrumental is and how it elevates the vocals. Alright synths. Does get a bit repetitive and stale after a while. Fine. 3/5 Horse Tears Somber and slow. Really takes its time. There's no way around it: I've lost patience with this thing. Extremely boring. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Final review: I think I'm starting to realize that I just don't like most trip-hop. This includes this album. It's slow, it's meandering and it's intentionally obtuse. This makes it mostly one out of two things: Either it's weird and confusing, or it's boring as hell. And while it does have moments of beautiful layered soundscapes and haunting, ethereal vocals it just does not get me to care about it. It's simultaniously too busy to be relaxing, and too sluggish to be engaging, leading to a tedious listen where I never find the right headspace for it. Yes the strings are beautifully arranged, and there are moments where the retro style sounds genuinely inspired, but those fleeting moments are not enough to keep this album interesting. The old spy movie esque atmosphere does give it some unique character which definitely makes it stand out however. It's a creative choice to go for and does give it this sort of timeless aura around it, where the "datedness" sounds like an intentional artistic choice. I do see that there is a creative vision here, and apart from some mixing I wasn't too fond of, there really isn't any real issues with this album. I'm just simply not the intended audience. Makes me feel like I wasted my time, yet it was for the most part listenable. 2.5/5 rounded down to 2/5.
I had never heard of Goldfrapp before today, and from the very first musical phrase of the very first track of this album I was spellbound. The lead singer's voice is so pure and clear, and the way shield wields it was truly something to behold. I've heard professional instrumentalists without the level of control and pitch that she shows on this album. The rest of the instrumentation was also tight and professional, and the writing and production were also excellent. I really enjoyed this album and listened to it all the way through twice. Five stars.
Weird futuristic movie sounds?
Kinda weird, but not bad weird. Human sounds like it's from a Bond movie soundtrack
Good to listen to at night when you are winding down.
Great voice, weird music but in a good way
i'll revisit one day
Definitely interesting.. Wouldn't listen to it on the regular but definitely is a good album!
interesting
Mysterious and exotic. Am i in a James bond film? Variety of instrumentations mostly slower tracks, but lively and provocative.
Not a fan, depressing
Muy raro, pero muy disfrutable. La mayoría de sus temas son buenos, pero casi todos de repente se convierten en algo rarísimo que siempre genera curiosidad por seguir escuchando. Hay un par de tracks instrumentales que también me parecieron extraños y experimentales, lo que ayudó a que fuera hundiéndome en sus ritmos y en las voces de las cantadas.
Not sure what kind of pictures this band has of the author but that’s the only way to explain them having 2 albums on the list let alone one. Combination of bad James Bond song with 80s tv theme show music with whispered vocals in a weird falsetto. Awful.
i liked it a lot actually. sounds like the soundtrack of a weird movie i’m not cool enough to get
There was some cool stuff here. I especially liked “Human.” It sounded like it should be on a Bond film.
Cool album from a group I didn't know I knew already. One of those wonders with a few hits, but didn't know the name of the artist. I appreciate the production and her voice quite a bit.
coming into this one, I wasn't expecting a lot, and fortunately, I was wrong. This is a beguiling little album that deserves a second listen.
4.6
I feel like I should have liked this, and I tried to like it, but the spacey western vibes are not for me.
just ok
This album contains a number of beautifully-written and arranged songs, but the weird mix often does a poor job of meshing Alison Goldfrapp's close-mic'd and treated voice with the orchestral instruments behind her. (And I don't know what's going on with "Deer Stop", but she sounds positively spitty on that track.) The glitchy synth effects that also appear throughout are an interesting idea that's successful only some of the time. A promising but uneven debut.
Didn’t like, weird and not for me.
very nice trip hop stuff
Unique sound and totally experimental. Interesting instrumentals and incredible vocals. Not my cup of tea but I can appreciate it being one of a kind.
This album nearly put me to sleep and not in a good way. Absolutely zero energy but full of boredom and dullness. Watching paint dry would have excited me more.
Your lovely head
This is an assault on the ears. Lets do the maths. 1001 albums over how many years, 4 decades, maybe more, but lets go conservative. Top 50 albums from each year x 40 years = 2000. Maybe a lot of dross in that figure so cut out half = 1000, which in turn should account for the best 25 albums of each year over the course of 40+ years. This album made it to 57 in the UK charts. I didn't need to hear this before I die.
Trip-hop tåget hade lämnat stationen för länge sedan när Goldfrapp köpte biljett. Till skillnad från Portishead som var både lokförare och konduktör så står Goldfrapp kvar än idag och väntar. Ja, det här albumet låter eomväntan på det tåg som redan gått.
Like the ghost of Jessica Rabbit post-suicide.
mysterious weird girl album ★★★
There’s something here but it doesn’t quite have it Utopia and Lovely Head are great
It was alright no standout tracks though
Recorded well, sounds good…not really what I want to listen to that much
Entspannt und irgendwie dreamy, ganz cool eigentlich. Trotzdem nichts, was ich nochmal anmachen würde. 2-3/5
....
I'll be honest, I listened to this when I was feeling tired and this put me to sleep. Its so soothing haha
It's got a cool vibe, but it's nothing mind blowing.
Very interesting, such a unique vibe.
Good background music nothing outstanding
The Good: a mountain made of Felt! The Bad: Felt can start chafing… The Ugly: Or rug-burning, depending on what you are doing with the felt… This was a very curious listen… because I thought I was going to be indifferent, and then I found myself being engaged… At times, I felt like I was at a circus. At times, I felt like I was just sitting in a room… I hated it. I liked it… Not in any specified order… This leaves me with no other choice than to give the album 4*, as I know I will want to listen to it again at some point...
Nice.
Eh, fine but not great. Liked her voice more than the beats or lyrics, but pretty boring and bland overall. Didn’t hate it, but bleh.
I really enjoyed this album. I was aware of it from when Kanye sampled 'human' in 2016, but I'm glad I hadn't fully listened to it until now. It's very cinematic, sounding like the backdrop to a film noir thriller about a evil female protagonist, cross sci fi mystery, cross evil circus?. The songs are hauntingly beautiful, featuring operatic singing, classical instrumentation and weird weird ear candy. What a pleasure to listen to, favourite album so far. Fav tracks - All
I saw Goldfrapp live circa 2003/2004, and she played a theremin with her crotch, which may be why I was expecting this to be more exciting than it was,
I probably would’ve really dug this when it came out, but my old self just wasn’t feeling it. A little too weird in parts.
A couple songs gave me "James Bond" vibes. I don't know exactly what makes me think that, but there's time where it feels like they were writing for a Bond title track. The last half felt a little undercooked, but there's something to enjoy in here.
Id say average. Wont listen to it again but not terrible
Bébé Paul s'est endormi dessus hier soir. Il donne un parfait 5/5. Ben chillos et relaxant comme petit album.
😍😍😍
Je ne connaissais pas tant d'écoute. Agréablement surpris. Quelle voix quand même. Quelque chose de Yma Sumac par bout. Ça me surprend que cet album n'est pas dans le lot d'écoute de China...
Très belles sonorités dès les deux premières plages. C'est électro un peu, mais je dirais que ça repose aussi sur des "vrais" instruments: mandoline, sitar, térémine, clavecin, peut-être même un orgue de barbarie à la fin de paper bag? Ça va chercher des timbres que j'aime personnellement. Human on peut danser un beau tango. Deer Stop magnifique. La chanteuse a une superbe voix qui s'accorde avec les timbres de l'album, et elle sait même yoddler? Beaucoup de techniques vocales différentes. Instant 5 stars
Je pensais aimer ça plus que ce ne fut le cas finalement! Je connaissais juste « ooh la la » de ce groupe alors je m’attendais à une proposition plus dansante. Je pense qu’en plus de 24h je pourrais vraiment aimer plus ça en découvrant les subtilités. Mais pour le moment je trouve ça plutôt ennuyant (le mot est fort, désolé. J’aurais juste aimé plus de grooves dansants) J’ai bien aimé Utopia et Human par contre!
nice album for background listening but I do not know how often I would revisit
pretty but probably wouldnt come back to it
Its kinda mad to me that this is Goldfrapp's debut based on the rest of their career. This one's got all kinda of Jazz and downtempo stuff, and some off beat weirdness. Also Nick Batt from Sonic State played bass synth on it.
A little boring, a mix between some Bond style music and some more quirky instrumental tracks. It just never found a groove that resonated with me beyond those two things.
Good Not as good as their other album on the list but good. The circus song kinda hurts the momentum but good
Sexy music - this sounds like the future which Barbarella promised us. This album takes its time to reach a crescendo, but that high point is a satisfying surge which brings the album's diverse moods and gorgeous production to a unifying high point, before dissolving and ebbing away in an alluring denouement. Cinematic and sumptuous. Favourite tracks: Lovely Head, Pilots, Deer Stop, Utopia
took a few listens to get into it but god do I love abit of weird girl music
Another surprise for sure. Not quite perfect with tracks deer stop and oompah radar a miss for me, but otherwise a very cool vibe overall. 4.5
Human is a standout, album is good but wierd. Very interesting and lovely sound but too wierd for pop succees
This style was okay with the first couple of songs but then the weird vocal manipulations and sameness took me out of it.
Total haunted Portishead vibes. Elegant, eerie, and immersive
Beautiful. Delightful. I'm honestly upset I haven't heard of them before now, seeing how I'm a huge Portishead fan. And i must say this is in the same vein as Porishead, albeit slower, and with a vastly different singer.
What
Reminds me of a bunch of contemporary artists — like Sylvan Esso (male + female duo, less dance my though), Portis Head, and even gives me Billie Eilish inspiration vibes with the eerie vocals.
I can't explain what draws me to this album and maybe that's the metalinguistic aspect of music.
8/10 pretty good, but nothing too profound
Hmm. I really liked this at first - namely, the first two tracks - but comparing it to the other trip-hop kind of albums on the list, I’m not sure how well it distinguishes itself. When I heard the Portishead album a few days into this, I thought it was really cool and unusual, and while I still like that style, it’s starting to feel a bit gimmicky. I’m being a little too harsh, maybe. On the whole, I liked this (except for “Oompa Radar,” which I kind of hated). 3.5?
I remember this album : ) damn can she sing, quite a unique TwinPeaksy indie movie soundtrack vibe, Utopia and Lovely Head the best ones.
There is an elegance that pervades this record while not always being polite either. No truly weak moments - this works as a piece bridging the gap between old and new. As expressive a voice as anyone of the era. 3.5 stars.
I like Goldfrapp’s later stuff more than this. But also, I didn’t not like this.
weird
Oh, I'm vibing to this album. Felt Mountain is a delicious blend of electronica and moody ambience. I loved how each song wove into another, sometimes air-y or ethereal or reminiscent of the circus, making for a smooth listen. In my experience trip hop tends to be more abrasive, but Goldfrapp managed to use electronic music to make it more calming. Goldfrapp, I suspect, is more known her electric-pop instead of this electronic ambiance music. Her electronic-pop music is way more fun, but she brings her A game and creates such a beautiful album in Felt Mountain. 3.5
I like some of Goldfrapp's later stuff. Having not heard this, I was expecting something a little more in that vein. Alas, this was a lot more ambient and a lot less synthpop/disco. Ultimately, I just think it was a little TOO ambient and it put me right to sleep. The moments that weren't ambient were bordering on circus music, and I didn't like that any more than I liked the ambient angle.
First third of this had me hootin and hollering. Less clubby and more weirdo than I previously knew from Goldfrapp. Then the rest of the thing had a smattering of circus music sounding songs and there’s not much in this world that can sour me on an album quicker than that. People like to rag on ICP (to this day!) but the truth is there was a solid 20 years where the coolest thing anyone could imagine was a dark carnival. Even cool Europeans. That’s the truth.
So dramatic and odd with the processed vocals. Sometimes it feels like outer space, other times like a James Bond song. Amazing.
This felt like post rock with vocals. Incredible soundscape, such a mood.
Very ominous sounding Billie Eilish style Holy shit “Freestyle 4” reference Got a cool vibe
I remember one of my friends was obsessed with Goldfrapp after this came out, and I never bothered to check them out. I can't say that was the wrong choice, unfortunately. It's not a bad album, but it doesn't do anything for me personally. Portishead, Bjork, and Massive Attack mine similar sonic territory and far better than this. Felt Mountain mostly fades into the background until I forget I'm still listening to it, and by tomorrow I probably won't be able to tell you what it sounded like. If we're putting Mercury winners on here, then someone needs to add English Teacher's This Could Be Texas from 2024.
Still not totally my thing but nonetheless a pretty complete, baroque sound, so I'll give it some props. Though I think I mixed this person up with Santigold for a long time which kept me from digging into Santigold, who I really love, so I gotta dock some cred for that
Nice I guess
this really sounded like stereolab, i honestly enjoyed it!! it was way better that the piece of shit album of theirs we listened earlier in this process
Cabaret and trip-hop is a wild combo that works better than it should. Super interesting. The album is just gorgeous from front to back.
Interesting album, with a few songs that stand out but honestly kind of dull. I saw them open for Coldplay ages ago, and their set was significantly better than this. That said, Alison has a great voice.
Vibey. It's like if Portishead were 30% more influenced by James Bond themes.
Interesting trip-hop like album. Lovely Head and Pilots as my favourites. Missing something compared to the best trip-hop albums though.
There were times where I though this album was going to be good. The combination of the singer's Billie Holiday style singing and the unhinged theremin sometimes worked for me, but there was also just a lot of times where it was trying too hard to be a "creepy jazz" album. I think if I ever want music to set this type of mood I'll just listen to Portishead. 2.4/5
This is mostly just boring Portishead. There's a few interesting tracks like one that sounded like Danny Elfman soundtrack stuff, and a few of the tracks sound like they'd be good for opening a James Bond movie. Overall, not bad but not something I'd wanna revisit. 2.75/5
Everything I thought I knew about Goldfrapp was a lie. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was different than that. I was hoping for something a bit more dancey, less moody spy music. Her meowing voice reminded me of the Björk songs I'm not in to.
Yeah this one just wasnt really it
unique for sure
Against all odds I sort of enjoyed this. Like a vibey, toned-down, and extended James Bond theme
Had it on in the background at work. Not as bad as I anticipated
Even when the pace picked up this still managed to be boring.
Das Debütalbum Felt Mountain des britischen Duos Goldfrapp wurde in mehreren Studios in Südengland aufgenommen, darunter im Wiltshire-Heimstudio von Alison Goldfrapp. Die Gruppe, bestehend aus der Sängerin Alison Goldfrapp und dem Komponisten Will Gregory, ist in Großbritannien beheimatet und bewegt sich stilistisch zwischen elektronischer Musik, Trip-Hop und Artpop. Charakteristisch für das Album ist ein zurückhaltender, cineastisch angelegter Klang mit ausgeprägten elektronischen und orchestralen Elementen. Zu den bekanntesten Stücken zählen „Lovely Head“ und „Utopia“, die durch den Einsatz ungewöhnlicher Klangfarben und experimenteller Produktionstechniken auffallen. Auch „Pilots“ und „Human“ zeigen die Mischung aus elektronischer Zurückhaltung und stilisierten Gesangslinien, die das Album prägt. Felt Mountain wirkt geschlossen und atmosphärisch und lässt bereits die spätere stilistische Vielfalt des Duos erahnen. Die Produktion wirkt bewusst reduziert und auf Wirkung im Detail konzentriert. Das Album hebt sich durch seine klare Ausrichtung und klangliche Konsequenz vom Pop-Mainstream der frühen 2000er ab.
I'ma go with - weird. A lot was well written, but much of it was just, I really don't know how else to put it, weird.
The mix of electronic and cabaret style music does not blend well when listening to this album. Just weird vibes all round
Lieblich und au kreativ. Gsamthaft dänn aber langatmig.
lovely head chli morricone und 90s lo fi gmischt huere geeeil. findi haaammer moody und cool. ah fuck es het nöd gspecheret aber paper bag isch sehr schön, stricher super tasty und ihri stimm isch butter. human het mega groove und macht sehr cooli glitchy sache. seehr sehr cool. die hoch stimm uf pilots isch glaub afoch sie das isch jo chraaank wie klar sie döt obe isch. wow wow. super schön. die tüfe blöser sind au maad geil. deer stop het au wieder die höchene drin wo crazy sind. felt mountain sehr coole minimalistische groove mit dem bass all 2 täkt. suuuper geil wo d claps chömed und au wies oh i text uschunt. oompah radar sochli goofy-ominös. cool? utopia slappt no. polo und pan hend nöd viel erfunde. nöd erfunt.
hahah han iwie bi 2000er immer chli schiss es isch chli portishead? mit chli weniger guetem gsang human het iwie e "alti melodie" isch na spannend aber lauft iwie trz eifach chli jaa es isch iwie sehr cool was mached aber es ischmer chli z wenig mmmpf hmmm ich glaub ich verstah scho was sie hend welle mache und find d kreativität na cool aber naja. würkli spass hani meistens nöd gha
trip hop but not as good as Portishead