Reviews (page 6 of 8)
A hypnotic beautiful album of sensuality and guile..
Slightly goth 90s style electronic music from the 2000s. Gave it a chance and checking the artist top songs on apple music. Not for me.
Ik weet niet wat het is, maar dit album heeft het
Heard bits of this before but never listened to it in full - great album. The only miss for me was Oompa Radar...
Not my kind of music
God, I am an absolute sucker for great vocals on top of experimental electronic vibes. Every song has a unique character to it that contributes to the gentle, delirious miasma of the album as a whole. It seems to me that there's a strong trip hop influence here, with effort to expand the types and sources of sound present in the classic stuff. It largely pays off and gives it more of an ambient backing. Frankly, this lit up my brain quite a lot when I listened to it, it strongly expanded my appreciation for a genre I've yet to get into very much, and for that, a five feels appropriate.
2.5⭐️
I'm a huge fan of The Seventh Tree, and haven't really listened to much else form Goldfrappe, and that which I have listened to has been a bit too 'disco' for me - yet this is definitely up there with Seventh Tree for me. Great album.
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
One of those albums I remember little about the next day. Made almost no impression.
Slow and weird
The only point of reference I have for them is their song “strict machine” which I enjoy. This album was quite a let down. The first two songs were just awful. I liked the 3rd one but after that it went back to being meh.
Just no
It aight. Oompa radar took me for a ride - 6/10
Cool vibes, but so boring.
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
3/10 - pretty trash album. A bunch of the songs were pretty weird including oompa radar which just sounded like a circus. I sort of liked utopia
I really liked it. Even the weird songs usually had something cool about them
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
very different, sounds like something from the 40's or something. Not horrible, but not really to my tastes.
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...
Its not much like anything else, making it an interesting album of the time
Gorgeous ethereal sound stage with excellent production. Use of the human voice as an instrument with no lyrics can be both frustrating and immersive. I loved this album
Cool but a bit too gothy for me. But defs did enjoy listening to something unique, plus undoubted a good album
kinda interesting but didnt wow me
super chill. forgot how much i enjoy this band.
2.5
There’s a couple of decent songs on this but overall I was a bit disappointed. Lately Ive noticed a few songs on 6music where Ive thought ‘ah this is good’, and it’s turned out to be Goldfrapp or Alison Goldfrapp, so for a few weeks Ive been meaning to dive a bit deeper. This didnt sound like what I was expecting. A bit slow and moody at times, often sounding like ‘any minute now this will take off’, but it never really did, bar Utopia and Lovely Head. I’ll definitely still keep an eye out for these but perhaps not this record
Rather odd on the face of it but the more I listened the more it just felt dull. Lots of ambient sounds and weird noises but every track just plods along without anything interesting happening. Reminds me of a really bad bjork album, which kinda shows how good bjork is as she'd make something like this sound memorable. 1.5.
I didn't mind Lovely Head but this is rough. Hard to listen to, far too many nonsense ambient or jarring noises. No thanks.
Didn't enjoy this for the most part, gets quite weird in places. Won't be revisiting this. Highlights: Lovely Head Utopia
This did nothing for me, and I thought it might. Disappointing
Nice.
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.
Dronene, og søvndyssende..
Det lyder som soundtracket til en film der forsøger at skabe en 60er vibe. Jeg tænker Shirley Basset og gamle James Bond film når jeg hører det. Det fungerer rigtig fint som background music til havearbejde (og sikker også andet arbejde)
The other Goldfrapp album I had was the first 5 star first listen I had on this list. This one didn’t really speak to me
An interesting one - I don't like Bjork but I felt there were shades fo her here, and yet I did enjoy this album. Also elements of bands like Air, who I do like.
Ok - not for me though
Not really my type of thing, I didn't enjoy very much. Not the worse though, it's still listenable unlike antichrist superstar. Favourite: felt mountain. 2/5
Kind of eccentric but surprisingly I fw it heavy. To be honest I kinda zoned out on a couple of the songs but on a second listen they are not bad, just weren't catchy enough to interest me the first time. Cool instrumentals and lots of unique ideas, I particularly liked the blend between electronic sound and real instruments (piano and strings). 4, a very stimulating listen that I may even consider giving a 5
A beautiful and lush folktronica record based on trip hop and an encompassing dreamy atmosphere. Really strong all throughout with plenty of creative ideas. No bad tracks, although I felt the experimental ideas in "Deer Stop" and "Oompa Radar" didn't work as well as she was going for, especially for their lengths. "Horse Tears" is a weak closer, although I do really like that eery atmosphere. Other than that, the only thing I didn't like was how the energy and mood kept bouncing back and forth. Track order could have been picked better, but "Lovely Head" was an excellent opener, and "Horse Tears" is fitting as the last track. I did highly enjoy this, and it is my type of music. It's highly ingenuitive with several standout hits and some intriguing deep cuts. Not perfect, but I really appreciate the artistry and creativity in every track, even the hits, showing she wasn't trying to sell out at all.
Good synth-pop with vocals over cinematic soundscapes that are influenced by a variety of music styles
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. ***
sounds like a limp james bond soundtrack
I was not a fan. The common comment on here is it’s boring. I would agree. Maybe if you’re having a bubble bath with your ladies, smoking a joint and having a glass of wine this might be a decent album but I wasn’t doing that. I also don’t know why this was classified as electronica. Only the last two songs felt anything like electronica music.
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?
Today's album is a weird one. It's like electronic jazz, or like electric cabaret music. It's not necessarily bad. It's actually quite interesting. I don't know how I feel about it yet, but it's definately different. May require further listening to give a fair assessment, but upon first listen, it was definately out there. Favourite songs: Human, Utopia, Pilots Least favourite songs: Deer Stop 2/5
Good album, coherent song order, secy voice, relaxing, but lacks a few show stopper songs to make it great.
Massively meh.
Uh creepy
I wanted it to be a bit more weird and bombastic than it actually was.
James Bond ass music. At times I swore this was the Alien Opera song from Fifth Element. Super weird but I enjoyed it. 8/10
Mostly boring, very weird at times. Standout songs: Human Utopia
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.
Supremely boring.
It feels and sound like an intimate gig in Berlin before the fucking Nazis ruined it.
My 2nd. Goldfrapp on the list, and I think I'll just have to accept that this band is not for me. The good tracks, are really good, but the bad tracks are downright annoying. Other bands do the same thing better.
really interesting, if pretentious. i enjoyed it though.
Someone's review just said "Goldcrapp" LOL
有点灵异的人声
Strange and focused on this opera electronicky sound
It supposed to be atmospheric, but it’s just annoying.
I tried…I really tried…but I couldn’t finish…it’s not the electronica, it’s that it sounds like soulless drivel to me
The first three tracks sound like James Bond opening songs. And that’s not a bad thing! The vocals are beautiful and the music is interestingly weird and haunting. I really liked ‘Human’ and ‘Utopia’. The electro sound can definitely be interesting when paired with good vocals like this. 3.6 stars
Jesus Christ, so boring. The album cover is 100x more interesting than the music. The only tolerable song was “Utopia” but I don’t even want to listen to that again tbh. No joy man, no joy. Fail.
Love the vibe!!
Bizarre and Beautiful.
Moderately interesting, but largely forgettable.
Very much feels like an entire album of boring attempts to make a Bond movie theme. 2/5
3.5 What a trip. Smooth, jazzy space western vibes. Human will be stuck in my head all day.
This was unique. Could see myself listening agin.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Human
Total shock to get this smooth, Shirley Bassey/James Bond theme/ cocktail seduction hour music. I only knew Goldfrapp from https://youtu.be/uco-2V4ytYQ?si=tgbCxgcSImoVzI2s.
It wasn't really my thing – the tracks kind of bled together for me.
Really liked it. There were parts I wish they were a bit more experimental but all in all was pretty good
Sehr chillig. Für mich zu chillig. Eher sleepish. Ich bin im Büro, muss noch was tun, sorry.
Soundtrack to hallucinate to or simulate hallucinations
This album was stunning. I was really impressed with the lush instrumentation and the variety of musical styles in such a short project. "Deer Stop" and "Horse Tears" were the two songs that felt a bit weak comparatively, but generally this was a strong listen. 4/5.
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.
I don't get it
It all sounded very similar, like one long James Bond song. Slow lyrics, ambient quiet music, nothing exciting going on, overall boring.
Interesting mix of a smoky jazz bar and a roadside circus.
3.5/5
Spooky but kind of liked it
Not the kind of music I listen to, though
Yeahhhhhhhhhh
Reminds me a little bit of Imelda May. Very chill, with a retro feel. I like it.
Lifeless
Like listening to James Bond.
Second Goldfrapp album in a week, and I’m still enjoying the duo’s music. Great 1-2 punch opening with Lovely Head and Paper Bag. Then there is not much memorable (Deer Stop being an exception) until Utopia wins Best Song By A Mile. I’m just as torn as with Seventh Tree. Is it a 6/10 or 7/10? Noone really knows.
🦶
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.
Was not expecting something this cool. The dark ambience created a great atmosphere as I was walking home from work. Will have to Revisit this again sometime. Fav songs: - Lovely Head - Pilots - Deer Stop - Utopia
weird, so weird. music like ive never heard, but its cool. kinda haunting and weird. sounds like james bond music
Bad James Bond movie themes?
I have always been a huge fan of electronic music, even 25 years ago when this album first came out, but Goldfrapp has always fell completely flat for me. It’s not like I hate their music or anything, it’s just there as a space filler that had no real use or purpose. All in all, the only kind of gold this is, is fools gold!
Oof. Not for me
A wide variety of sounds and textures. Unique and familiar at the same time.
Chill-Goldfrapp before they became Party-Goldfrapp. I enjoy them both. This a great album.
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
very james bond-y, hams it up a little.
meh
This was better than I thought it would be. Sounded like a James Bond movie soundtrack.
Sounds mysterious at first, but it becomes a trick after a couple of songs. Blend of 60s/70s movie soundtracks and trip hop. Favorite song: Pilots
Honestly, its been 24 hours and i forgot what it sounded like. I listened to mom jeans instead and it was a lot better.
Nope. Not for me.
It's been a while since I listened to this, but, it's still stunning.
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 would be the perfect soundtrack for some film. Interesting to listen to by itself, but I will rarely be in the mood to return to it.
i’m not gonna lie, i don’t like this her voice is pretty nice, but i don’t enjoy this album, i don’t think the melodie’s are interesting, i respect the ideas but this isn’t really gravitating towards me very much.
Well, that was an experience! I felt like I was in a dream sequence for 40 minutes! 4 stars for the novelty. Sort of makes good writing music too.
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
Solid
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.
Listening to this album I felt like I was with Billie Eilish in a James Bond movie floating in space with helium balloons entering the Twighlight Zone. The lead singer’s voice is so ethereal. Beautiful orchestration. This album surprised me. I really enjoyed it.
Lush and lovely, I was absolutely swept away by this wonderful album. A little slice of electronified mid-century lounge exotica. I thought it was absolutely perfectly done.
I found this really interesting to listen to…although it kind of didn’t overly impress me. I mean, I listened and then later when I was deciding on a rating, I had to relisten as I couldn’t remember what it sounded like at all. I think that the second listen was better…I might remember it now…
We do appreciate a haunted cabaret circus around these parts.
I felt like I should be sipping cocktails in a lounge listening to this, perhaps judging a James Bond soundtrack competition. I have heard some of the more dance-y, later Goldfrapp tunes so I was a little surprised at this. Enjoyable!
Awesome find!!!
Love the musicality of this. Very James-Bond-theme. Can't really understand the lyrics in many of the songs. But those I could, I liked.
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.
Ich nehme an ein One Hit wonder? Kenne nur das bekannteste lied von ihr auf Spotify... kann sonst nichts mit der anfangen.
A little surreal, but not completely unlistenable. I started off liking it but it felt at times like I was listening to the soundtrack of a slow paced story-driven exploration game, but with none of the enjoyment of the actual gameplay, like this was meant to compliment something else from the background instead of being the focus of attention. Or maybe that’s just a way of saying it felt boring and incomplete.
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
First half of the album felt like a James Bond movie. Then it got weird, with some dreamy sounds and circus vibes. It finished by going back to the movie soundtrack style, this time perhaps for some kind of mafia film. This isn't really something I'd listen to, but actually quite enjoyed the album. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I only know one song by goldfrapp and it wasn't on here so was going into this album not really knowing what to expect. Going to be honest not for me too weird and the songs draggd on. Wanted to like it because it 2000s but just couldn't.
This was just really chill and nice to listen to. Just made me feel very zen and feel the album. Really enjoyed Human
This album went places. We started with the sort of jazz you'd expect from a pulp spy movie. Wasn't sure but I vibed with it. just as it was it was starting to get to the end of its welcome, we get to "Human" and "Deer Stop", and I'm like okay that's a bit of wild distortion. It's almost like whale song. We're not just noir any more, we're melancholy. Then the next one, the titular song, "Felt Mountain" put me right up there on the mountain with the band. I really liked the entrancing theme. I wish we got more of that throughout the album, but immediately we made a hard dive into a big top circus tent with that deep brass. I didn't look at the name of the track until the song was over, but "Oompa Radar" is perfectly fitting. I liked this album overall and am curious to give it another listen or check out more of what Goldfrapp have put out. I also was reminded a lot of the band Cortex during this listen the way they both favor the high register female vocals that come off as a whistle.
This album felt like I was watching a high school-age weird girl who idolizes Billie Eilish a little too excessively perform her bedroom solo album at a talent show. I was actively laughing at some parts of the album. Not bad enough to give one star because the instrumentals were decent at some parts, but holy hell this one was kind of rough to get through.
I can't think of any situation where I want to listen to this music. It sounds like it's part of a 2000s James Bond soundtrack. It's not bad, it's just an oddly specific genre. Some of the tracks sounded like they took perfectly good music and added obnoxious electronic sounds to it. The one positive thing I can say is they mixed genres together in a way that is unique.
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.
Ritmo tranquilo, relajado, sin mucho que aportar. Voz sensual femenina. Desconocida y un poco flojo.
I really enjoyed the dreamy and catchy Seventh Tree when that came up a few months ago, and had been meaning to check out some more Goldfrapp but just hadn’t. This is their debut and is very different to what I expected but still incredibly good - it’s even more experimental, ranging from ethereal yodelling to haunted fairground music in consecutive tracks, but everything works so well to create this delicate and unsettling but also strangely beautiful soundscape. I’ll definitely be delving further into the discography now
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.
Cabaret nothing special
More albums I don’t have to listen to. 2 stars for Human and Utopia.
fine i guess whatever idc
So boring
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.
Nope not a one. Why?
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
Música ambiental/electrónica curiosa. Un 4.
Muy bonito. No es precioso, pero merece un 5.
Ganske bra. Like når folk synge så lyst at da høres ut som ein theremin
Pretty cool, a little flat in sound for my taste
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.
Meh.
Playable, yes. Memorable, no. Human was ok, the rest I could pass on without regrets.
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
Wow. Really different. Liked
Fascinating artist... In this album she brings in 1960s pop and spy movie touches along with early 20th century burlesque.
Voice OK, sound OK, arrangement ??? Definitive not my taste.
Love Goldfrapp
Wow this was interesting. They are trying way too hard to be different on here and it just comes out looking weird. Very atmospheric/etherial. Not my thing at all.
Okay enough combination of songs, kind of mixture between Trip Hop and Lounge music. Zillion years ago was support act in concert I went to and was very disappointing, but album is fine.
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.
Wtf is this, James Bond?
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.
I started this album excited, thinking it was going to be a fun one, but I just didn't find it to be very entertaining
This was real bad.
A treat for the ears !
One long James Bond song
A couple good background music tracks at best. Was not necessary to listen to this before I die
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
a clockwork orange ah music
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.
Loved the music; hated the lyrics. The instrumentals were best.
very unique and weird(in a good way)
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.
I feel asleep standing up listening to this. Not my cup of tea.
Really inspiring
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
Lovely, gorgeous. Loved this for many years. Soon as the theramin hits in Lovely Head you know you are in for something special. Clearly heavily influenced by John Barry in places, particularly Paper Bag. Properly blissful. Utopia is magnificent. Surprised by the divisive reviews, if this isn't for you fair enough, but one star reviews saying it's just... boring, or nothing, I cannot connect with on any level. I guess some people don't like interesting music, I quite clearly just don't understand. Listening today to Horse Tears I am reminded of the For the Damaged Coda by Blonde Redhead (Rick and Morty evil Morty theme) which came out around the same time.
I always get a little excited when I get an artist I'd never heard of. More often than not I'm disappointed and this album is no exception.
2/5 way too chill
Incredibly diverse, unique, catchy.
Really interesting
This is... pretty incredible. I was not expecting an album of such cinematic proportions this morning. I feel like someone's dropped me into a continuous opening credits scene of a Bond film. The string arrangements alone pretty phenomenal and unexpected. And the very odd vocal / synth manipulations! Some of them are so exposed and bare and just plain weird. I thought the songwriting was kind of lackluster, but made up completely by both the performances and the utter strangeness of these genres mashed together. 4/5, a strong contender for coolest conceptual pair I've heard in a while.
4/5. A smooth and suave album, with dark and sexual themes throughout. I enjoyed the minimalist but heavy instrumentation matched with the flowing female voice. An ambient, trippy atmosphere surrounds these songs and feels like a brooding dream that slowly transforms into a nightmare. When I want to feel like I'm being watched, I'll put this one on.
Pretty
2.5 a little grating
Nice music, pretty good atmosphere, really nice vocal, chilled performance. Some songs were a bit too lofi for my liking, but otherwise an almost perfect album for a quiet night in the autumn, with a stereotypical tea and a book by the fireplace. Very cool record.
That was crap. At best it was audition to be the next James Bond chanteuse.
Worst James Bond soundtrack ever.
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
Oli hetkiä, jolloin uhkaava tunnelma puri. Ja lauluhan oli kauttaaltaan tosi hyvää. Rikas äänimaailma. Muuten tylsä, en malttanut keskittyä.
Haikeita säveliä vähään tyytyvältä duolta.
Fun weird sounds, kinda spooky and different to what I’d usually listen to
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***
Interminable - I will die an extremely happy man if I never listen to this album again in my life.
actually super dope
Less edgy Portishead
Liked it more with each time listening
I liked the music but some songs were definitely a bit weird
come on man, i've got two kids. do i look like i have time for albums like this?
Someone wake me up. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
11/29/23. Probably the first ambient style album I genuinely enjoyed. Cool chord progressions and Goldfrapp has an old school voice.
Неожиданно классный альбом. Вокалистка поёт очень красиво, аранжировки мелодичные и крайне интересно продуманы. Сделано всё очень стильно. Напомнило более поздний проект Александра Титова и его жены.
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
Best Song: Human. Hate that this is the standard, but this really does have "Bond Song" vibes. Worst Song: Deer Stop. An actively obnoxious song. I don't know if the distortion around the vocals was supposed to sound "haunted", but it just comes off as though someone is fiddling with dials they aren't supposed to. Overall: The whole thing is just achingly slow and understated. I spent the whole time waiting for something interesting to happen, but nothing ever came. It feels like it's an album of songs intended to be played in the trailers for mysterious movies. On their own, they're far too sparse though.
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.
Meh.
New to me, but I love it. Whistling pushes my buttons. Listened twice.
Not really my thing, overall did not enjoy it. 1/5 Won’t listen again
Definitely interesting, more of a background music vibe than something you’d actively listen to.
More electronic stuff I have no interest in. There were actually melodies and chord changes, so ranks slightly higher than the rest of this genre.
Je ne suis pas très electro, les rythmes sont lents, je n'ai pas fini l'album
Franchement pas mon genre de musique, en tout cas je n’appréciais pas vraiment ni la voix ni la mélodie, ni le rythme :/ Il y a eu une chanson que j’ai trouvé ok ! (Mais je pense qu’elle n’était pas sur cet album Aha)
Album court, chill, parfois sensuel. Très sympa comme musique de fond pour faire autre chose.
I found this quite boring overall, and just not my kind of music. It was like listening to a 40 minute long Bond film intro.
Wonky cabaret music. Westworld-y
Was quick
Interesting vocal computer effects. Reminds me of Portishead
Really cinematic stuff. Liked it a lot.
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?
scary, sad, horror movie vibes but that was lowkey exactly what i was looking for so it worked out
3,5
I fucking loved this. Listened on the way to Bean's birthday dinner and then again this morning. I want this on vinyl!
it wasn’t my favourite, but it did have a few good songs
Not for me. 1/5
I was expecting high energy electropop and got low energy electropop. Not a big fan but it's was listenable.
Very much my vibe. Would definitely listen again.
feels like im in some fantasy movie? Not really the vibe I go for when I listen to music. 1.5
Interesting blend of genres, but never seemed to truly grip me. Did listen to it on a busy day though. 6.5/10
Tough to rate. I liked it, but it also sort of faded into the background while I was listening. Very cool vibe. Nice vocals. Should be a bond theme.
It was alright, I prefer Seventh Tree a lot more.
good one
Very interesting album! It’s almost like a Radiohead / Portishead hybrid, but still very much its unique thing! There’s a bit of an eerie/haunting vibe throughout some songs, and that’s great. The vocals are used almost as an instrument, which I love. I need to check out more by them. 8,5 out of 10
electric pop
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.
aaa t
Seductively cabaret - Just needs a high bar table, candle and negroni
Oh boy, I was excited when I saw this was my album of the day. I had never heard of Godfrapp until about 45 albums ago when I got their album Seventh Tree, and I really loved that. It's strange, because I'm not a fan of electronic music, and I'm not a fan of cabaret, but somehow Goldfrapp just does it for me. She has a beautiful, seductive voice, and the music is so cool and dream-like. Love it. 4 stars.
*shrug* yeah nice I guess. 3
Sweet but a bit boring I think
This isn't the best Goldfrapp album. I mean, it's pretty good and it set a decent direction for them to travel in, but it sure ain't the best they've done.
Refreshingly distinctive. Not something I would enjoy actively listening to repeatedly, but great background music. Main associations were James Bond Soundtracks and Ennio Morricone.
Great album, can't believe I'd never heard of this band before!
"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 🧋🧋🧋
Just doesn’t grab you.
Not for me, a little too much of…everything
Picking up the indecipherable singing style and gauzy soundscapes of the Cocteaus, on their first album they added trip-hop vibes for something that still sounds odd and fresh thirty years later. They'd forego this for a more straightforward electropop sound, then decide they didn't want that either. One of the more interesting bands of the last thirty years.
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.
Dreamy, breathy singing over an eclectic trip-hop/ electronica/ classical backing. I liked it and even went back to listen to some of my favourite tracks a second time. But ultimately, it just made me want to listen to Portishead, who are in my opinion anyway, similar but superior in every way, including doing this almost a decade earlier. I'm going to stick to my personal rules here for scoring: 1- awful/ irredeemable - the world would be a better place without this album 2 - bad but had something about it that saved it from a single star rating 3 - average/ bland - won't listen to again but not awful 4 - good - will probably listen to this again 5 - superb - almost perfect and will definitely relisten or already on my playlist This is somewhere between a 3 and a 4, but I'll be generous and bump it up to a 4 as I keep finding myself whistling the first track.
Big fan of this unique style of electronic. Real subtle on the electronic with female vocalist. Sounds like it has oldies vibes. 4.2
Neat album. Going to give it another listen.
This was just weirdddd. I feel like these songs could be used in a black and white movie from like 70 years ago when something devastating happened and the main character is at a crossroads. But let’s leave it there. I don’t need to listen to this again.
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
Probably the best Goldfrapp album. I like it when it is dreamy or cinematic but less so when they push the vocals too much, as especially on Deer Stop.
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.
The music is cool certainly but honestly really boring as a whole project 2/5
Decent, but no better than that. Very expensive sounding, and very lush, and very boring
Ethereally cool
Boring
Didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised.