If the preceding “Black Cherry” (2003) and “Supernature” (2005) represented ad hoc products to drive clubs dance floors completely crazy, all over the continents, here “Seventh Tree” closes and completes the story, which began with the striking debut “Felt Mountain” (2000). Like poker, we can consider the albums of Goldfrapp to be like a double couple, played on two precise and opposite styles of music. Two of the albums flee onto the dance floor, crowded and shimmering, and the others run through nature, on some isolated rises with evocative glimpse of landscape: this, more or less, summarises the stylistic route of Goldfrapp.

The electroglam provocation now leaves space for the more spiritual and ethereal side of the English formation, in perfect line with the trend of the moment, in the year in which some of the greatest names in trip hop reappeared on the international scene, like Massive attack and above-all Portishead, almost inspired to this return ad originem by the duo Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory.

From sleek synthpop to this sort of folktronica, where one breaths the air of nature and mountains, and which help to create a chilled out bucolic, that perhaps is not a novelty as such, but certainly is a circle which closes itself, thanks to the sudden stylistic changes, made just in time before losing itself in useless reproductions of formulae already seen and heard. “Seventh Tree” doesn’t enjoy the evocation of chills in “Felt Mountain” and all its morriconian echoes, but is like a ride in the middle of green, which opens into melodies of abundant breath, and which makes itself appreciated from the first listening. We find different references to the cinematographic dimension, with good songs for the sonorous columns of the songwriter, between persuasive dream pop and some vague psychedelic derivations: in whole, a very rich work in brightness in respect to the sound before. The unmistakable timbre of Alison Goldfrapp rests between the connection between past and present, a voice, which leaves us numb, as does her magnetic presence on the stage in the other songs.

Little more than forty minutes that flow away far too quickly; where the initial “Clowns” sets the pace, unlocking in-front of us the marvellous panoramic sound of this new work, from which it is difficult to pick out the most extraordinary moments-lead single “A&E” but also certainly other tunes like “Happiness”, the delicate “Cologne Cerrone Houdini” or the light “Caravan Girl” could all be the best examples to show to the public all the fascination of “Seventh Tree”. It seems however, that they are already mostly convinced seeing the rapid ascension of the album in the charts, above all in the United Kingdom.

It remains now only to see what road the 5th work for this English formation will take. Certainly, it’s still too early to know, better to enjoy the light air and dreaming of this electronic environment, like a spring breeze that brings smiles and perfume but which carries behind it some winter chills. A soft and reassuring sound like a jumper of chenille, a bit vintage in its weave perhaps but always perfect for the season.



Goldfrapp
"Seventh Tree"
(Mute, 2008)

Tracklist:

1. Clowns
2. Little Bird
3. Happiness
4. Road To Somewhere
5. Eat Yourself
6. Some People
7. A&E
8. Cologne Cerrone Houdini
9. Caravan Girl
10. Monster Love

Read the Italian Version of this article