Felt Mountain

Making do with the space left behind by their trip-hop predecessors, Goldfrapp swirls and simmers upon their felt mountain. At once trippy and down to Earth, this short and compact album does its job at connecting certain dots all the while reminding those of who came before. An intriguing listen for the curious minded. Favorites: Lovely Head, Human, Deer Stop, Oompa Radar, Horse Tears.

Never seen or heard of this. It’s definitely more interesting than a lot of stuff. Kind of like a 60s throwback. It’s okay but I don’t think I’ll ever listen to it again. I rarely have time or patience for this kind of slow vibe unless the music is really inventive and interesting. This didn’t have that unfortunately.

While Paper Bag, Human, and Pilots channel a Portishead-infused Hooverphonic sound, the rest of the album doesn't live up to that. Horse Tears isn't a bad end note however.

This was confusing. Is it creepy clown music? Or is it hauntingly beautiful and strange? And why am I oddly captivated by it?

It ain't no Portishead, but it is decent. Idk, something about it seemed off but I couldn't tell you what.

Refreshing sound in the greater context of this list. Suspenseful, unique, but not anything mind-blowing imo. What are we calling this, dramatic lunge music? Chat is this dubstep?

Otherworldly sonic exploration. Definitely mood music.

I still don't enjoy electronic music too much, but I need to assume that thanks to the 1001 list, I learned to respect it much more. Two years ago, electronic music was just noise made by people who could not play real instruments. Currently, my opinion has changed 100%, even though I still dislike most of the electronic music I tried. This one was one of the few exceptions. Maybe it is just a matter of mood, but with more respect to the producers and people who play the majority of electronic instruments (now I know it), it's easier to see some quality in the music.

Pretty average

It aight. Oompa radar took me for a ride - 6/10

I usually like this kind of music but it was a bit too boring for me. Wouldn't mind this in the background I dont think, but like I think she could be doing just a bit more and id enjoy it. 6.5/10

Utopia was quite good. The rest were pretty unique, I see why this is on the list. A bit low energy I thought. 7/10

Cute, but not very interesting.

Not exactly Kate Bush in the end. Great vocalist but the songs feel too arty and overly structured and get a little aimless. It's meant to be like a movie, one knows, but can muster only so much dreaminess in one sitting. One's a big fan of Seventh Tree, however.

Interesting listen. Definitely enjoyed it.

3.5 Groovy

The first track is lovely, haunting and atmospheric. The rest is good, but, save for some Kurt Weil inspired oompah, doesn't really go anywhere...

kinda interesting but didnt wow me

super chill. forgot how much i enjoy this band.

It was “listenable” kind of annoying at points.

Interesting. Wonderful to hear a harpsichord for one thing, alongside film-score-like soundscapes and hints of jazz lounges. But there's more: "Oompa radar" sounds like the soundtrack to a particularly unpleasant fairground ride. Like I said, interesting.

The mellow tron throughout was weird and sometimes loud.

Meh. I know plenty of people love Goldfrapp but nothing more then acceptable bleepy-bloopy for me.

My dad has a goldfrapp album he plays in the car when we are on holiday but I'm surprised how different this one was to that one. Very much mystical forest music

Solid album. I had never heard of Goldfrapp and was not sure what to expect. It's got some Bond-esque vibes (could be an entire soundtrack to a modern Cold War spy thriller). Feels old and new at the same time. An enjoyable listen with some dark, eerie, seductive tones. Jazzy and ethereal at times--brings you into a sort of dream world. ***

Electric crooning

Quite a nice surprise this one. Was familiar with 'Lovely Head' and 'Utopia' don't think I'd listened to the album before. Wasn't expecting it to be so wistful. Also that thing where she does the "guitar" solo by singing soprano through effects pedals still does it for me. Enjoyable soundscape with some good strong songs holding it up. Trip=hop esque but the varied use of instruments makes it sound a bit more original. Baroque-hop?

Good album, coherent song order, secy voice, relaxing, but lacks a few show stopper songs to make it great.

Massively meh.

Prefer the black cherry album electronic sound although this was interesting

I thought this was going to be more dance-y than weird folk ghost-y, I must have confused it with something else.

really interesting, if pretentious. i enjoyed it though.

有点灵异的人声

Moderately interesting, but largely forgettable.

3.5 What a trip. Smooth, jazzy space western vibes. Human will be stuck in my head all day.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Human

Soundtrack to hallucinate to or simulate hallucinations

This is the James Bond soundtrack Daniel Craig deserved, the sort of modern lounge sound is very cool and I love the continuity of the album.

I dont hate it, but I dont love it either. I'm not sure why this is on the list, to be honest. 3/5

Love a bit of Goldfrapp.... They get better in the following albums.

I’ve enjoyed a few other albums by Goldfrapp, including Seventh Tree which I love. But even though Felt Mountain was the debut that made her big, I just can’t get into it. Most of her later albums either lean much more into dance or much more into folktronica. Felt Mountain is almost strictly ambient electronic, which sometimes I’m into but just not with this album.

3.5/5

Spooky but kind of liked it

Like listening to James Bond.

Smoky, jazzy energy with a spotlight on her vocals. Oh wow, I recognized the song “Human” right away because it’s sampled on one of my favorite late career Kanye tracks, “Freestyle 4.” Funny to hear the sample in its original song. How has Goldfrapp not been asked to do a Bond theme? About half of these songs would have been better than the last crop of Bond songs (with the exception of Adele’s “Skyfall” 🙏). (I googled it and apparently they almost did the theme for “Casino Royale.”) “Felt Mountain” is a lovely, airy song. Dreamy and beautiful. Not every song hit for me here (“Oompah Radar” feels like an easy one to cut) but I liked the album overall. Cool vibe.

Really cool sound. I love the noir setting that it creates and the instrumentation is so intriguing. That space guitar solo on the first track is really a statement. What it's saying I'm not sure yet but I know it's introducing me to an experience that I need to pay attention to. I was glad when that continued throughout the album. Harmonica's and spaghetti western type thin guitars on track 2, and then a güiro and strings on track 3. You don't really know what to expect. I definitely hear Portishead influence in here too, which is great. I don't know if it's quite a 4, but I will listen more! Enjoyed this one.

I struggled to get into this despite a few attempts. I do like a Goldfrapp and really enjoyed the other album. This one not so much. Loads of them felt like they could be really good Bond songs though.

Not bad, but definitely not the best from Goldfrapp.

This was alright background music, nothing exceptional but solid all the way through.

weird, so weird. music like ive never heard, but its cool. kinda haunting and weird. sounds like james bond music

I can’t say this isn’t original or unique, but once you’ve heard the first song you’ve basically heard the whole album. The rest is a worse version of the title track, which makes for an uninspiring forty minutes. Each song was good though, only not different enough. 3/5

meh

This was better than I thought it would be. Sounded like a James Bond movie soundtrack.

Like Goldfinger, with weird sound effects

This was ok

Pretty shocked that Goldfrapp has two albums on here. They're not bad, but I don't think of anything on here that is groudbreaking. 2.5/5

Very chill with a slight french vibe. Enjoyable background music.

This is a very interesting, if uneven, album. After the first song, I wondered who, exactly, this was for. After listening to a couple more songs I realized it slots nicely into the Trip Hop, Bristol sound with bands like Morcheeba, Portishead, & Massive Attack. I love those bands, and utilizing that comparison is where I start to have slight issues with the album. Some of the songs are actually awesome, and represent the genre quite nicely, but some songs are just...off. I'm not sure how to describe it, except maybe they go a bit pop-y? When you're expecting a trippy, slowed down, psychedelic sound and you get some weird yodeling, or an upbeat 4/4 beat, it can be a little jarring. Overall, if you're into this type of music, this is gonna be a perfectly acceptable album - even good! Solid 3.5, but without any real exceptionality that sets it apart to push it to 4 stars

Really enjoyed the first few tracks, gradually lost interest.

Felt a bit like background music but I didn't mind it.

If Expanding my brain elasticity is the goal, I think I did that today.

I enjoyed this, but it didn't stand to me as being especially groundbreaking or noteworthy.

Torn between 3 and 3.5 Pretty cool ambient pop It doesn't really sound like other electronica despite the description Didn't like the oompa song

Very easy listening record. Melancholy vocals were both sad and dreamy with hypnotic music. Overall very good but I would need to be in the proper mind to listen.

Weirder than I thought it was going to be which I appreciate. Still maybe not enough going on for me to really get into but an interesting listen to be sure.

This was giving me Bond theme vibes, and I didn’t mind it mate. Nothing quite grabbing me to get up to 4 though. Simpsons reference: No

A great vibe but I never really care about it. Some good taste at work, though, as these things go.

Starts alright as a kind of hyperreal postmodern cabaret act, but runs out of puff a little. Alison Goldfrapp's sensual, breathy vocals are great, admittedly, although aren't enough to carry all the material. Not a bad listening experience. Not one I'm in a hurry to repeat either.

Naja, das strapaziert die Ohren schon ein wenig. Ganz interessant, aber nichts zum immer wieder anhören.

Good album. Never listened to them before. Enjoyed it.

Not sure what to make of this one, bits were cool, bits were awful, bits were weird, bits were boring. Give it a 3 and move on.

fine i guess whatever idc

Very pleasant ambient pop, with some hints of baroque music through the use of harpsichord. Clearly inspired by the likes of Portishead and Hooverphonic, but doesn't quite reach the same heights. 3.5+

Not bad, reminded me a little of Everything But The Girl. Overall a pleasant experience.

Highlights: Lovely Head, Paper Head, Human, Felt Mountain. In a nutshell: electro-cabaret mystery tour. Whimsical, eerie, romantic, experimental. Can see the comparisons to Portishead, Felt Mountain is downtempo and ambient. Touches of 60’s Shirley Bassey. I dig it. Overall: 7/10

I liked having this on in the background while I worked. Pleasant enough, but nothing I need to listen to again. Felt like it should be on the James Bond movie soundtrack.

Didn’t quite like this as much as some of their later stuff, but this was still pretty good. Nice atmosphere, somewhat akin at times to one of my fave artists, Everything But The Girl. Would give 3.5 but can’t.

I feel like I've gotten several electronic albums from this era that just made no impression on me whatsoever. This was another one. I don't have the strength of character to listen to it again, so...3/5? idk 3/5

Apparently the vocal was manipulated to sound like a theremin - instead of actually using a theremin! Lots of crossover with Portishead with Will Gregory and Adrian Utley. Alison and her buddy Will Gregory are definitely artistes. Bit too knowingly arty, but Lovely Head and Utopia are good.

3,5. Drauma popp. Full einhæft en gef annan séns.

While not a fan of electronic music, the arrangements by Gregory along with Goldfrapps alluring vocals are surprisingly enjoyable. Listening to the songs brings me back to the old torch songs with an updated sound. I can hear the theme songs of Sean Connery as James Bond and envision the sultry tones/movements of Marlene Dietrich. Overall a pleasant listening experience.

This album was ok. It’s kind of like a Bond soundtrack on an acid trip. It’s decent enough background music, but a lot of it starts to feel repetitive after a while. It’s nothing that bands like Cocteau Twins, Portishead, and Massive Attack haven’t been doing for years, so I’m not sure what’s so revolutionary about this album that it made the list.

Suave, downtrodden grown up music with a weird clown song in the middle

I've seen this album on a lot of people's profiles in the 5 star section. I'm...not sure why. I found this super boring and sedate. The closest I came to liking anything was "Oompah Radar" because of the carnival-esque tune, but the singing was annoying. I didn't hate this and I do think it's unique but it's just way too boring for me. Really more of a 2.5 but I'm feeling generous.

mooie debuutplaat van een (vermoed ik) interessante band die ik eigenlijk niet zo goed ken. Heel filmisch, sferisch, tegelijk veel Air invloeden ook, aan 1 stuk door mssch niet altijd en overal even spannend, maar wel mooi met een paar chique tracks (de opener, Human, Horse Tears). Leuke ontdekking.

Didn’t do much for me.

While the production is really lush with the use of dark synths and strings and piano sounds really pretty - Very somber and mystical, the melodies aren't that strong for me. Human with that synth line is ofc is very iconic, utopia is good too but most of the times the verses just leave me wanting more. Oompa is fine. On the last cut as well, the lalala vocals with the synth(?), strings and piano do have a catchy melody but when the verses come it gets a bit monotonous, the vibe and atmosphere is there but you can take only a certain amount of that. I guess the more I listen to it the more acclimated i'll get to it however for now its a light to a strong 3. There's an album by julee cruise in a similar vein, very dark dreamy downtempo and the melodies and compositions just hit harder on that. The songs are good but nothing really jumps out.

"Felt Mountain" by Goldfrapp is a mesmerizing journey into a dreamlike realm where electronic and orchestral elements seamlessly intertwine. Released in 2000, it marked the debut of the duo's unique sound. Alison Goldfrapp's ethereal vocals, hauntingly cinematic arrangements, and Will Gregory's meticulous production create an otherworldly atmosphere. Standout tracks like "Lovely Head" and "Utopia" showcase a sublime blend of trip-hop, ambient, and folk influences. The album's mystique and theatricality evoke a sense of enchantment, making "Felt Mountain" an enduring classic that transports listeners to an evocative sonic landscape. With its innovative sonic palette, this album established Goldfrapp as a force in the electronic music scene. A timeless masterpiece that stands as a testament to the duo's artistic prowess and a pivotal moment in the evolution of electronic music.

Slow, dark, moody and traces of trip hop woven in. Not enough to really keep my attention but Utopia was a great song

Lovely Head Felt Mountain Utopia

Pretty

The consensus was pretty clear when this album was released, and I believe it's the same decades after: *Felt Mountain* is a nice album overall, but it's not up to the league of the other trip hop luminaries of its era--luminaries such as Portishead or Massive Attack. True, parts of the record were breaking new grounds, foretelling important acts such as Beach House or Lana Del Rey. Yet it's a little too patchy in terms of memorable melodies, especially on the second side. "Human", with its serpentine string section, is a stellar track though. And I didn't need Kanye West's sample of it to remember it in 2023. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums". Which translates to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 352 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 294 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 155 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 206

Decent background music and different to everything we have had so far

Excellent background music Could be out of a James Bond movie intro. Liked one of the songs. Solid 3***

I liked the music but some songs were definitely a bit weird

Yet another not-my-thing thing

No. 48/1001 Lovely Head 3/5 Paper Bag 3/5 Human 3/5 Pilots 3/5 Deer Stop 3/5 Felt Mountain 4/5 Oompha Radar 2/5 Utopia 3/5 Horse Tears 2/5 Average: 2,89 Liked this better than I excpected. Some or the Sound-spheres created are really cool. Others weren't as great e.g. Oompha Radar

Actually quite liked this. May even become 4 stars

Uno de los motivos por los que decidí apuntarme a esta iniciativa. Explorar grupos o artistas nuevos sobre la base asentada de su presunta calidad, pero que nunca me habría puesto o ni siquiera entraban en mi radar, que por lo demás reconozco que es limitado. Ha sido una sorpresa agradable para mí. No es el disco que estaba buscando, pero se queda también en mi recámara. Me ha llegado a atrapar ese ambiente minimalista y sobrio, del álbum. Un 7,5.

Album court, chill, parfois sensuel. Très sympa comme musique de fond pour faire autre chose.

Interesting vocal computer effects. Reminds me of Portishead

This is one of those albums I'm glad I listened to, not because it was a great album, but it was interesting and different and it's not normally something I would seek out. Sure it was weird, slow, creepy and sometimes challenging, as it is a mix of different styles, genres and ideas from the bizarre mind of Alison Goldfrapp. Generally enjoyable, but still it's not something I would seek out much further...maybe?

3,5

it wasn’t my favourite, but it did have a few good songs

I was expecting high energy electropop and got low energy electropop. Not a big fan but it's was listenable.

Interesting blend of genres, but never seemed to truly grip me. Did listen to it on a busy day though. 6.5/10

It was alright, I prefer Seventh Tree a lot more.

Oompah Radar? Human

Kind of has a bit of a trip hop vibe to it which I liked but many of the songs were a bit to slow or lacking for me. Human was a decent song. Kind of had a James Bond vibe to it. The album was ok but probably won't be returning to it.

Good album.

*shrug* yeah nice I guess. 3

Sweet but a bit boring I think

Refreshingly distinctive. Not something I would enjoy actively listening to repeatedly, but great background music. Main associations were James Bond Soundtracks and Ennio Morricone.

"What the heck does a goldfrapp sound like?" Thought I when this came up. Well, it turns out it sounds like Ennio Morricone blended with Portishead, albeit with a less annoying singer, and touches of James Bond inspired instrumentals. Sounds like a winning recipe, which it is, but it does start to meander at the half way point. Let's go with 3 fraps out of 5 🧋🧋🧋

This album reminds me a lot of Portishead although I find it musically less interesting. This is a very atmospheric, lush and cinematic sounding album, it sounds like as if it was a soundtrack of an old film noir. These are characteristics that I usually love about music - but in this case, something was missing, as the music couldn't grab me that much.

Neat album. Going to give it another listen.

Interesting if not a bit impenetrable. Seems more of a showy cabaret style than lush electronic pop as shown in their later "Seventh Tree" (which I like a bit more). Almost hard to imagine this as a debut album - what were they going for in terms of target or goal I'm not sure, nor does it particularly matter I suppose. And even as I call it impenetrable I'm listening to it for the 3rd time, I feel like I am trying to discover more gems within. Admirable and elaborate effort, a bit haunting, but I find myself wishing for resolve on many songs that never really comes. 6/10 3 stars

Goldfrapp is an excellent singer and I like the tone of her voice, but the songs on this album did not really grab me.

I like the atmosphere on this record though it doesn't really stick.

Didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised.

Felt Mountain is the debut album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp. This electronica/ambient/trip-hop album takes musical influences from pop, folk, and cabaret, and gives it an electronic sounding twist. Felt Mountain was critically acclaimed and described as elegant, graceful, and enchanting. It sold a total of 500,000 copies worldwide two and a half years after release, and has been certified gold in the UK. This was a beautiful album of folksy electronica music. Felt Mountain is a fun listen and I'm sure most people would love it like I did.

Cool vibe. None of the songs really stand out though.

2.5/5

James Bond stumbles into Twin Peaks.

I'll revisit, but I'm compelled to call them the modern day Eurythmics.

Kinda weird. Would've left it at that if it wasn't for the last two songs, which are quite nice

lovely and weird. 3 stars.

Bigger than I expected. They were always just ok for me and I never knew there was much more than a bit of nice pop about them. I really liked this though.

I thought I would like this more than I did because I'm familiar with Black Cherry and Supernature and I liked Seventh Tree despite not being AS synthpop as those two albums. I enjoyed the listen and it gives more context to their later works but Felt Mountain is just a bit too lonely for my tastes.

Je vais pas mal réutiliser les mêmes commentaires que la dernière fois. Je l'ai peut-être un tantinet plus apprécié parce qu'il me semblait plus cozy. 6.5/10

A good chunk sounds like the intro songs to James Bond movies. Or that’s just sway of what’s been around me lately, cause apparently everyone just kinda ignored the first song using Strawberry Fields’ melody. The most unexpected cool thing was finding a sample of an unreleased Tyler, the Creator song called “WTF right now”

Definitely cinematic. Definitely a bit mad.

Not even remotely what I was expecting, and I imagine that at another time in my life, I would be into this mopey album, but it's just unrelenting. Oompah Radar has a glimmer of humor. Goldfrapp has a lovely voice. This simply isn't doing it for me.

I get it but not my style of electro pop

Felt like I was stuck in a weird James Bond movie

5/10. Eh, Seventh Tree was a lot more enjoyable

Seemed more inventive but less good than the other Goldfrapp album on the list. 6/10

Très mélodieux. On dirait des chants entre le sommeil te le réveil. C'est eerie, tranquille. Méchant contraste par rapport au metal du début de semaine. Ça vient pas tant me chercher par contre à date. (Début d'album, la fin est nice). C'est du gros stock pour la fille qui chante dans le 5ème élément! Mood tranquille, aucun stress.

Melancholic whimsy.

portashed

5/9

One of those albums I wanted to enjoy more than I actually did. The duo nails a perfect blend of 50s lo-fi nostalgia with early-aughts indie sensibility when it comes to the instrumentation, but there's not nearly enough melodic or rhythmic variation to wow consistently across the whole 40 minutes.

Dark, retro and weird (in a good way). Has a vaguely Shirley Bassey meets Joe Meek vibe. I know they're aiming for languid, but it frequently comes off as plodding. I don't hate it, but a little goes a long way. Fave Songs: Felt Mountain, Human, Horse Tears, Lovely Head, Paper Bag

pretty good, 3.5/5 stars

This album was losing me until we got to the second last song, Utopia! That song saved the album for me. Overall, pretty good. Not quite my taste but worth a listen :)

This is a lovely, tuneful atmospheric album but drifts around a little over time.

Snooze. There are so many better Goldfrapp albums than this one.

Good

I've swung a bit with this one. There was a point where I thought it was really growing on me, but ultimately I don't think it's got the quality I had hoped. It's definitely good, but not much better than that.

More interesting than expected

Beautiful, but a bit one mood.

Solid debut and a gorgeous sounding album. I really like Goldfrapp but for me this skirts outside the realm of essential when compared Black Cherry which is also on this list. File under: raspy post trip hop chill music

Banco. 7/10

this seems really creative and unique and i imagine if i was 25 and getting high with a girl i was hoping to make out with it would be the perfect choice but that doesn’t come up so much anymore

Tunghay.

its like a film soundtrack. no idea what the film is about or even what type of film it is but it's probably the type of film i'd watch.

Big poppa! I've been to Felt Mountain and ate a large burger. It was like a dream. Ryan had chicken nuggets and felt sick. He ran all the way home.

Enjoyed this. Hadn't realised quite how much there was a torch singer influence through these songs when I heard this back in the day. I appreciated the voice much more this time around. Fine and mellow indeed. Found myself wanting a little more oomph in a few places, just to mix it up a bit, but not bad.

Out there and interesting

Look

I enjoyed it

Down tempo and very eclectic. Like first 3 songs the most, easy to work to. Art rock like, hear Kate Bush influences along with electronic influences. Couple songs get a little over the top for me but overall really enjoyed this one. Liked Lovely Head, Human, Paper Bag, Felt Mountain. Don't like: Ompah Rider

Nice, real nice

Meh. I mean, it's fine and all and Goldfrapp has a good voice with some nice sleepy musical accompaniment, but nothing overly memorable. They've got a couple catchy singles, neither of which are on this album, so if this is their best collection then call me bored. Electronica fails to excite once again.

Op zich wel sfeervol. Beetje James Bond theme achtig. Maar soms ook wat slaapverwekkend.

Lekker relaxt tijdens het werken.

Ik vergeet hier steeds naar te luisteren, ofwel: het gaat langs me heen.

Nice, lovely to listen to and potentially would get a 4 if I give it a few more listens - some really classic and recognisable riffs. Jolly nice!

Felt Mountain isn't my thing but I can recognise it's good. It's really well produced if nothing else, it's relaxing and haunting in equal measure. Better than most of the stuff I've given a 2 to, so I guess 3/5?

I really like this, it's a really nice blend of electronica and 'real' music, somehow peaceful, ethereal, and haunting at the same time, and her voice is amazing. The opening track and Utopia are the standouts, the rest is good but not top drawer. 3/5, comfortably.

I liked this, and agree that sounds like the soundtrack to a James Bond movie that doesn't exist

All of the songs on this record have a peaceful atmosphere and the voice and the lyrics are really sweet, with tasteful trip hop productions. Definitely one interesting album of the year 2000.

Nice vibe but it doesn’t feel particularly important or innovative.

This album was solid. Very different feel from Seventh Tree, the first Goldfrapp album I listened to for this project. I didn't like that one very much, but this one has an electronic atmosphere that works for me. 3/5

Very pleasantly surprised by this one. The ambition and artistic vision poured into this record is really admirable. Traces of Massive Attack and Portishead as well as a fixation on noir cinema and Bond themes makes for a very interesting listen. It isn’t always the most engaging record, fading into background music during certain tracks, but I’ll definitely revisit it for the production which is so far ahead of its time.

This one wasn't as good as Seventh Tree and didn't have a song that reached monster love levels but it was still alright. Had a very sultry, smoke-filled 30s lounge vibe to most of it

First half isn't particular exciting, but the last few tracks are interesting.

Very cosmic and mysterious, not sure if it's my cup of tea. Akin to Submotion Orchestra and some tunes are really good - loved Human from the album

Bueno

There's obviously a lot of talent on display here, but they haven't actually included any songs I want to listen to more than once. It sounds engineered to be included in a James Bond or Tarantino soundtrack. Best track: Pilots

Paper Bag and Human were great. Definitely a mix of like a Bond theme and cabaret. Pretty good.

Elektronisk pop, trip hop, freestyle 4, vilde strygere, stemningsfuldt

Jazz-y, a slight tinge of Massive Attack, and an overall haunting tone. This album was enjoyable, would listen again.

I only knew them from the song in the Apple commercial. I was expecting something more dance/pop. This was ok but not really my thing.

The Bond themes we never got to hear. Great background music!

Perfect put it on and listen while you work type music...or to just sort of zone out to.

My least favourite Goldfrapp album - but that's not to say it isn't good! A little downbeat for me to love it though.

This album feels like one long James Bond soundtrack where the villain kidnapped someone from Portishead. And at some point in the movie’s plot, they end up at the circus (Oompah Radar). I like the electronica mixed with throwback 60s cabaret, but that circus part is very tough to get through. I understand why one critic referred to it as strange and beautiful. As I do, I’ll write something about the Goldfrapp album that should have been on this list and isn’t, Head First. It’s less strange and more soaring, synth-y pop…yes let me inhale some more of that. I recommend you do too.

A very fresh style to me...interesting to listen to.

Experimental soulful melancholic electro… v interesting if not as commercial successful as later stuff

A dark, moody album with gorgeous textures and beautiful melodies. I have listened to it twice through so far and I intend to do so again before finalizing my impressions, the first listen, a background distracted listen didn't yield much except fot a few moments of creepy (my daughters word) unease. Second listen in which my attention was undivided, allowed me to appreciate the subtle melodies and lush soundscapes. So far a beautiful album that bears further scrutiny. Well listen three did not go as planned. This album is one of mood and with little substance. No memorable SONGS! While the music is sometimes beautiful it is nowhere near enough to sustain a full album. 3 🌟 4th listen now; the Song Human caught my ear this time with a Portishead vibe that sounds slightly more organic. Her voice often reminds me Beth Orton<s just lacking that ethereal quality that Beth has in spades. Anyway not enough to change my original rating 3 stars

Very very impressive, I guess the nostalgia in 00 was not only in rock and pop music, I’ve always known the name Goldfrapp but I don’t think I’ve ever put attention to them. Nice to see records that are here even if nothing really ever made them popular like a hit song or something

Quite a bore

I enjoy Goldfrapp. Was this album #2 this month?

Mellow vibes, great vocals. Nothing overly exciting. Pretty ok.

A little too James Bond theme-songish

In eerste instantie klinkt het een beetje als een soundtrack van een Bond film. Helaas zijn veel nummers toch net iets te zweverig voor mij. Mijn favoriet is "Utopia" ***

Soundtrack to a creepy kids horror movie. Difficult to get inside this album

3 1/2

Interesting sound. Sounds like Lana Del Rey mixed with David Bowie, but not as good as that might sound. Most songs sound like they could be the opening credits to an HBO show or Bond movie.

3.5!

Todella tunnelmallinen jos kuuntelisi paloissa, mutta levyllisenä painuu tylsän puolelle. Kolmonen yläkanttiin.

Another artist new to me. Enjoyable and clear echoes of others.

Amazing. Really enjoyed this unique sound.

Never heard of them. I was expecting a heavy metal album based on name and album cover. uh, yeah, just the opposite. I really liked it. This is something I would love to hear more and more of. This is really nice!

Finstämt, melodiöst men också lite menlöst. Tog sig andra genomlyssningen och Oompah Radar har ngt härligt Tim Burton flum skimmer över sig vilket jag gillar. Många av låtarna passar sig som filmmusik för att ingjuta en viss stämning men att lyssna på den rakt av kommer jag inte göra igen

I forgot how good this album is. Full of dreamy vocals, space-soaked theramin weirdness and pulsing beats. I’ve heard Lovely Head just a little too much, but the rest of the album feels really fresh Top tracks: Utopia, Felt Mountain, Human

6/10

Nice ambient songs, not a big fan of her voice, creepy vibe

A dark, moody album with gorgeous textures and beautiful melodies. I have listened to it twice through so far and I intend to do so again before finalizing my impressions, the first listen, a background distracted listen didn't yield much except fot a few moments of creepy (my daughters word) unease. Second listen in which my attention was undivided, allowed me to appreciate the subtle melodies and lush soundscapes. So far a beautiful album that bears further scrutiny. Well listen three did not go as planned. This album is one of mood andut with little substance. No memorable SONGS! While the music is sometimes beautiful it is nowhere near enough to sustain a full album. 3 🌟

6,0/10

I’ve always enjoyed bitter flavours. Especially when they’re matched by something sweet. A soft liquorice, a very dark chocolate, or a particularly gin-forward negroni. A fondness for bitter flavours has been shown to correlate positively with “dark” personality traits – anything from callousness to everyday acts of cruelty. Like many people my age, my first proper taste of the world’s bitterness was most probably September 11, 2001. Not the day itself – that spectacle of cruelty that was something so implacably stupendous that it resisted categorisation, in my mind and the collective’s, for many years – but instead its immediate aftermath. The Patriot Laws and its seeming enshrining of overt racism wrought deep cleavages into places I’d never before noticed as teetering on fault lines. Being brown became a crime; it breaks my heart to think how the boys I’d grown up alongside must have felt being on “the other” side of that equation. It’s been said that 9/11 marked the official end of the cultural 90s – and Felt Mountain, which first appeared in 2000, makes a strong case for being among the 21st century’s musical expeditionary party. To listen to it is to be pulled into a soul-wearying morass. It’s exhausting, alienating and totally compelling. Music for the beginning of a century that looks like the end of the world. Culture’s response to the War on Terror was largely a case of plus ca change. Delillo wrote a sad and ponderous piece about a performance artist. NOFX took on the political establishment. The South Park guys took the piss using puppets. If it’s true that any of those things could have been happening before the towers fell, it feels important to notice the things that couldn’t have. The things that belonged to the new paradigm entirely. Monkey Dust was one of those things. An almost violently offensive collection of animated skits that skewered everything and everyone they touched: charmingly boisterous wannabe jihadis, mild mannered cottagers, simple serial killers, overzealous and murderous paedofinders … to watch Monkey Dust and its cast of walking comic contradictions was to know the joke, oh poor citizen of now, was on you. That bitterness appealed to me. Not the casual acts of violence I saw in the real world, never, but rather the knowing weltschmerz that found a way to pull light from total darkness. The world made by Harry Thompson and Shaun Pye was one where history happened first as a farce; let the Angel keep its tragedies. For the past 20 years, the whistled opening tune of “Lovely Head” has rattled around my own embittered-but-usually-laughing noggin without me ever realising it was from a song, let alone one by Goldfrapp. Mobilised in Monkey Dust to add an eerie sort of profundity to on-screen depictions of public urination, ruination and antisocial behaviour, the song’s peripatetic melody drives at a weird kind of parochialism. The joy of living in a deep circle of hell but still being responsible for taking the dog for a walk. So we return full-circle. It’s 2026 and nothing about this record feels out of place with the current moment. Still drenched in anomie, still reeling from the US’ spiteful foreign policy, still talking about NOFX. The only thing really missing is the sense of humour. As someone once put it: “Essex. London.” RIP Harry Thompson.

Not their best, but still very good.

Solo por "Lovely Head" y "Human" ya merece la pena escucharlo de nuevo. También está muy bien "Utopia". Entiendo que habrá quien no le guste pero a mí es un disco que me trae recuerdos y me parece interesante como retrato de los 2000.

Lush I'd never given this a property listen. Cinematic in parts.

3.5

Laid back, but a little weird. Liked it overall

pretty good electronica - quirky.

An ok album, with a couple great tracks

Kind of cool. Could be a cool movie score. No track that particularly stand out to me. Probably a 3 just because it's a good listen but not something I'd enthusiastically listen to again. A stand out track or two would push it to a 4

Its always nice to get a little further off the beaten path with these albums, though I’m not this was really forging new ground in 2000 compared to, say, Laurie Anderson in 1986. And it’s hard to judge the lyrics since so much of it was basically incomprehensible. I did like it though.

quite like this. Not all of it super-catchy. a lot is quite jazzy- some of it just slightly annoying, like Oompa Radar Utopia is good

This was entirely new to me (I'm a 60's to 80's music fan, "old school" my kids say!) and a pleasant surprise. The eerie ethereal atmosphere and vocals are somewhat enthralling without bringing you down. Ideal for when you want to unwind, favorite spirit in your hand. Vaguely reminiscent of 20's French music (cabaret influences?) together with splashes of other genres (tango in Human &/or Utopia?) and maybe even movie soundtracks, it's still very much a 2000's sound. Definitely worth re-visiting when you want that "unwind" vibe.

James Bond meets eraser head.

cool, trip hop kind of?

Not something I would typically listen to but I’m glad I did. Very cool artsy electronic pop that doesn’t get so artsy it becomes unlistenable. Dark and ethereal. My favorite track was “Human” which I swear could have been a title song for a Bond movie.

woah i wasn’t expecting this to be kind of psychedelic... this was pretty good! the only track the really struck me was human but as a project i thought this was consistent and intriguing. overall i really enjoyed listening to this

- definitely getting an ethereal vibe from this album - kind of like the mix of elements from regular pop, to more folky stuff, to just straight up weird; it felt like I was watching an electro-western (so basically Westworld) - oh nvm about the western shit, this is now full on cabaret stuff, I’m so confused yet so intrigued - Highlights: Human (love the part that Kanye would end up sampling), Lovely Head, Oompa Radar (name one modern pop album that just puts a freaking waltz in there) - Would I revisit this album as a whole? I doubt it. Do I think it’s rather neat? Most definitely - Ultimately I do think the sheer uniqueness of the album carried it early on but ultimately my interest was not held through the middle tracks. Strong closer though, and the production is admittedly A-tier

2.5 rounding up to 3. Undeniable talent, but left me cold - too much artifice.

surprenant, merci au cousin d'Hugo Martins d'avoir inclus cet album à la liste, un très beau 3/5 bien mérité

Haunting vocals ring out in each track as if a siren were trying to lure you off your path. While very talented, Goldfrapp fails to make any lasting impact other than fading into the background.

Elektronista erikoismusaa (ei nyt niin erikoista) ei herätä suurempia tunteita.

well this was different, not terrible but not something I want to go out of my way to listen to again

I liked the idea of this more than I enjoyed listening to it unfortunately kinda gossamer thin

funky futuristic experimental stuff. good background listening as it is chill

I could see how you could get absorbed in this album without ever getting too invested in it. Reminds me of Beach House of the xx that I've listened to lots in the past but couldn't recall one song from memory.

Not a bad album. No real standout tracks. Interesting backing tracks, Has a Portishead vibe. Interesting that Kanye sampled them.

Her voice is amazing, truly angelic at points. But it is wasted on this boring album.

Not bad! The first song was quite catchy.

It sounds a lot like a James Bond soundtrack. Enjoyable.

I want this to grab me. But it hasn’t. I’ll put Portishead on first.

I'm listening to Felt Mountain by Goldfrapp this morning. Reading the artist biography puts them close to a lot of artists I enjoy. Trip-hop was a big deal for me back in the late 90s, so there is much I can enjoy form this album. Though it's quite strange at points. Like a soundtrack for a dream I'm having. Is that a Theremin I hear? Okay a song later in the album has grabbed me, it's called 'Utopia' and it's scratching an itch right now. It's like the best James Bond theme song that was never used for James Bond. This will go on my playlist of songs I enjoy from the 1001 album thing I'm doing.

Weird album

Tuttu levy tutulta bändiltä. Tällä kertaa kuuntelut meni vähän sivukorvalla töitä tehdessä, mutta kyllähän tämä ihan toimivaa fiilistelyä on. Monet biisit ovat jännästi hyvin pelkistettyjä, mutta samalla todella suurieleisiä.

hard to describe, kinda trippy but very ambient

Not familiar at all with the artist but wasn’t terrible!

twas ok

Lekkere easy listening. Ritmisch zeer lekker, met synths en veel verschillende lagen van geluiden. Niet echt een heel spannend album, het is voorbij zonder dat ik er erg in heb.

Beautiful album. It's aged well, too. Lasts about the right amount of time, though it loses a bit of momentum near the end.

unexpectedly good! kinda goofy instrumentals sometimes, and not in the funny way. didn't vibe with all of it but it is well produced

3.5 - have to be in the right mood

Surprisingly good!

Very unique and interesting, absolutley not what I was expeting. Dont exactly know where I stand on it yet, ill have to come back to it.

Very lush and dreamlike production, this album seems classic, surprisingly so for one that I've never encountered before.

Not great

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

booooooring

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.

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

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

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

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.

Sounds like the soundtrack to an imaginary detective movie

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.

Lovely Head

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.

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

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

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

Bondcore

stop whispering in my ear

Ominous and weird

Ehhhhh

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

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.

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".

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

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

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.

This is a beautiful album but not really my jam

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.

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

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

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

They have better albums imho

Weird, and did nothing for me.

this album is mostly just whatever, kinda dull and then out of nowhere there's an old timey circus march towards the end. that's awesome. props for that. i love the carousel. deserves to be one of the 1001? i would swap this for a more upbeat electronic release. maybe earns a spot on here, but i don't really fuck with with downtempo like that so for me? no