2023-05-12 14:49:27
British duo Goldfrapp released seven studio albums. Now singer Alison Goldfrapp is trying without her colleague Will Gregory. “The Love Intention” is a musical balancing act between retro and modern.
Alison Goldfrapp looks rejuvenated in the video for her single “Never Stop”. A computer effect in the clip, animated with artificial intelligence, makes the 56-year-old look almost youthful as she practices a mix of dance moves and fitness exercises in a fantasy world. Alison Goldfrapp has also reinvented herself musically on her first solo album: as a colorful disco queen with a timeless dancefloor sound.
As part of the duo Goldfrapp, named after her, the Londoner was known for musical versatility and constant change in the team with Will Gregory. No album sounded like the one before. Last year, Goldfrapp toured the 20th anniversary of their cult work “Felt Mountain”. Now Gregory has apparently withdrawn for the time being.
The soundtrack of a long evening on the dance floor
“The Love Invention” is Goldfrapp’s debut as a soloist. And that’s how she lives out her passion. “My musical influences for this album were definitely a love of dance music, electronic pop music, synthpop and italo disco,” says Goldfrapp. “I wanted to do something with a warm, euphoric feeling, with a positive feeling. And yes, you should be able to dance to it.”
Dominant synthesizers, fat basses, but also classic house beats can be heard on “The Love Invention”. The album is like the soundtrack to a long, hot night on the dance floor – including what might follow. A sultry, sexually charged atmosphere hangs over the eleven tracks, which is also recognizable in the song titles. Booming dance tracks like “Never Stop”, “Fever” and “So Hard, So Hot” are followed by calmer numbers. “The Beat Divine” sounds like tight dancing. “Subterfuge” merges ambient and trip-hop.
Keyword Italo Disco: “Gatto Gelato” is reminiscent of the music of the iconic Italian brothers La Bionda. The “Sound Of The Future”, which electronic pioneer Giorgio Moroder invented in Munich on the Moog synthesizer, characterizes Goldfrapp’s album and almost 50 years after Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” it still has something futuristic about it. “In Electric Blue” follows the hip new retro wave trend, which is a modern take on 80’s synth pop.
She was interested in new people
“The process of making this album was very different,” says Alison Goldfrapp, referring to previous works the London native released as a duo with musical partner Will Gregory. “Working with new people is always interesting and fun. And I really like it when there’s a new energy when you work in a room full of people.” Among them were Richard X, Paul Woolford, Röyksopp and the mysterious German house DJ Claptone.
On “The Love Intention” Alison Goldfrapp manages the balancing act between retro and modern. Intrusive, potential single hits written specifically for a catchy chorus – such as Goldfrapp’s “Rocket” from 2010 – cannot be identified. The singer’s solo debut gets you going straight away, but sounds a bit monotonous at first. Only after a while do the melodies settle in your head and subjective favorites emerge.
It is currently unclear what the future of the Goldfrapp duo looks like. The singer makes a clear distinction between her solo career and the band that bears her name. So much so that there isn’t a single reference to Alison Goldfrapp’s debut album on the official Goldfrapp website. Nor on their UK tour, which includes a performance at the famous Glastonbury Festival.
(dpa)
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