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(Mute)
In 2000 Alison Goldfrapp, and Will Gregory, also known as simply Goldfrapp, burst onto the scene with the sophisticated, ethereal ‘Felt Mountain’. It was just one of ‘those’ albums, selling half a million copies in no time. Full of child-like innocence, and breathy vocals a la ‘Paper Bag’, it created a spellbinding fantasy world.
Expecting a similar style, Black Cherry shocked me from track one, ‘Crystalline Green’. There were no breathy, angelic vocals here. Synths, electroclash-inspired drum loops, and a driving bassline in several of the tracks give this a stomping, grinding feel. Alison Goldfrapps honeyed-voice soars unaided from the get-go with sensuality, and decadence. It gets dirtier, and sexier from here with a track that will turn quite a few heads, ‘Train’. Intense and sexual, this is a far cry from the super-chilled debut, and yet works magically. Its hypnotising, and reminiscent of mechanical-inspired electro.
It is three tracks into the album that we get a taste of the Felt Mountain-Goldfrapp, with the title track ‘Black Cherry’. A breezy ballad, it creates a magical wonderland – beautiful, tender, and incredibly delicate. When asked about the meaning behind the lyrics, Goldfrapp simply remarked enigmatically, “Personal Stuff”.
With ‘Tiptoe’, we’re taken immediately into a grinding industrial zone, full of male vocals singing ‘You feel good, you feel right, you’re so good.’ Its dark, brooding, and moody. Its electronica sounds are brutal and obvious, there is no subtlety here. This track builds and builds, and suddenly bursts into Goldfrapps angelic Portishead-like vocals. It makes a stark beautiful counter-point to the sharpness of the main track, and when they intertwine its amazingly balanced and you couldnt imagine the track without it.
‘Deep Honey’ on the other hand creates a dreamy narcotic-induced world. Goldfrapp sings as if she is simply breathing in and out. Soft, and gentle, this is chilled at its best. ‘Hairy Trees’, the next track, follows perfectly with sensual classical chords, and flute/harp accompaniments. Innocent, and child-like, you fall into soft grass, and gentle sunshine.
There is no innocence hidden in the next track, ‘Twist’, which has become the most well-known off the new album. This is an adults-only affair, and to be honest I was a bit suprised to hear this grinding sexiness from the ethereal Miss. Alison. With lyrics such as, ‘Put your angel face, between my legs and knicker lace. Twist it round again and again.’, it is the epitome of the deep, dark, and dirty side of Goldfrapp we see this time round.
We’re taken on a short rollercoaster ride with the last few tracks. ‘Strict Machine’, with its deep bassline is coy, playful and quirky. Whilst, ‘Forever’ wraps us back up in gentle cottonwool with her angelic voice, playful keyboard, and harp. ‘Black Cherry’ ends on ‘Slippage’, a very mechanical influenced track full of warped synths. Its dark and moody atmosphere is enhanced by Goldfrapps pouting vocals, and high-pitched orgasmic screams. This is slightly insane, completely sensual sex in audio.
This album is deleriously rich and textured. It takes several plays of the album to discover a multitude of sounds and understandings you missed the first time round. Their first album might have been associated with Royksopp, Portishead, and the Zero7 crowd. This time round, they’ve stepped out, and created an entirely new world by themselves.
For those who will listen to this CD because they enjoyed ‘Felt Mountain’, forget that gentle rolling lush countryside, you’re in for an intense sensually-charged ride. This is glitterball glamour at its best.
