911 Goldfrapp - Black Cherry (2003)

 911 Goldfrapp - Black Cherry (2003)

Studio album - Electronic





About the Act:

Goldfrapp are a British electronic music duo comprising Will Gregory and Alison Goldfrapp. They have produced seven studio albums, and have had moderate success. That all seems very clinical, so for added flavour I will add that Alison Goldfrapp is exactly one year younger than I am - we share a birthday.


About the Album:

This was the second album from Goldfrapp.


My History with this Album:

I have a digital copy but I don't think I ever listened to it properly


Review:

There are two really important elements to this album, the music, and Alison Goldfrapp's voice.

There are really two types of track on this album, dirty discopop and floaty electronic ballads. The dirty discopop tracks use phat beats (yes I use the word "phat", get over it) that remind me of similar stuff by Kylie, and Bjork, and Scissor Sisters, and "I feel love" by Donna Summer, and even Muse at times. The beats are gritty and beautifully paced, and the synth sounds are oozing with sexy oomph. It reaches in through my ears down my spine to my toes which tap and my hips which grind. An appropriate word is "yurgh" (said in as deep and gravelly a voice as possible). This is overlaid with synths and strings and Alison's vocals which I will come to in a couple of paragraphs. 

The floaty electronic ballads remind me of tracks by Air and others, and even "Moments in Love" by the Art of Noise. They are kind of like the disco tracks with the basses and beats taken out. They float around your head.

So, Alison's vocals. She is described as having an "extended soprano range" which means she can (and sometimes does) sing really high. Actually, the best word I have for her voice is "gorgeous" and as a backup "sexy". Breathy and beautiful, and languid at times, as if she is just falling asleep and purring like a cat. Actually she is really versatile, and expressive, and just perfectly fitting the music. 

The album is excellent, dreamy and trippy, and the beaty songs are oh so sexy, between the grinding beats and the smoky honey of Alison's voice. It's a trip, and some day I will listen to it in the dark, lying in bed with headphones on. I absolutely love it. Possibly the best track is the last one, Slippage, in which they just let things fall apart a bit and get quite crazy.


9/10


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/65BnZsIXnhBeBReAHAaF6V

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfGibfZATlGooPcUwK1-7b9TRifMZDQz1

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Cherry_(Goldfrapp_album)


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