Alison Goldfrapp
The Love Invention

I half predicted it some time ago, right on this site, commenting on how the return of the 80s and 90s disco sounds in pop music could have benefitted Goldfrapp perfectly, who have class and elegance to spare, and could still give a lesson or two in style to the new up-and-comers of the moment. In the end, I was half-right: putting aside for a moment the historic collaboration with Will Gregory (with whom, anyway, relations are still excellent, mind you), Alison Goldfrapp presents herself, after almost a quarter of a century-long career, with her first solo project, "The Love Invention." For me, expectations were a mix of curiosity and a bit of skepticism: besides being a talented vocalist, Alison is also the author or co-author of all the tracks sung during her career, but shaping the Goldfrapp discography was also Gregory, indispensable as a producer and composer in giving the group a sound as varied as it was recognizable; consequently, the desire to see what the singer would come up with alone was sincere, but also permeated by a bit of fear in seeing her subordinate herself to pieces not up to par.

Well, in this respect, I was completely wrong, because if "The Love Invention" doesn't dispel every doubt, it comes incredibly close: Alison Goldfrapp's solo debut is, in the end, a beautiful celebration of synthesizers and drum machines in eleven tracks that travel between 80s and 90s dance, house, synth-pop, and Dream-pop. The initial triplet, for instance, is a smashing start, with the title track paying tribute to Kylie Minogue's "Fever," and "NeverStop" being a textbook electro-pop piece, while at the end of the list, we find a true gem like "Gatto Gelato," which is, in name and sound, a heartfelt and amused homage to the best Italo disco. However, the best comes when Alison puts her voice at the service of those atmospheres halfway between the melancholic and the dreamy that made the musical duo to which she lends her surname successful: among the best episodes of the album are indeed the synthetic ballad "In Electric Blue" and the solemn and ethereal creeping of "The Beat Divine," where Goldfrapp dresses as no one else the role of priestess of electro-pop. Not bad are also the more (intentionally) banal, but captivating pieces like the nocturnal "Hotel (Suite 23)" and "Fever (This Is the Real Thing)," two perfect examples of how to write pounding choruses, with the latter perfect to set the dance floor ablaze. Here and there, there are even attempts to wink at more modern sounds, and here too Goldfrapp excels: "Subterfuge" takes a beat with trap/R&B traits and inserts it into a nighttime and nebulous atmosphere dominated by the choirs and keyboards, while "SLoFLo" is a great lesson in style to all those singers who, in trying to be alternative at all costs, get lost in inconclusive melodies and convoluted productions, forgetting in the meantime to write a good song.

Then of course, looking at the overall picture, one can indeed assert that this album risks very little since it ultimately adds nothing to the reference musical scene, nor pushes too far beyond what Alison already achieved with Gregory; nevertheless, the orchestrated arrangements, besides being by Alison herself, are by Richard X (already at the helm of the criticized "Head First") and are detailed and layered, and collectively, the record flows smoothly without ever missing a beat in stringing together a series of virtually perfect pop tracks on a playlist that knows no fillers. And if this isn't a sign of a good pop album, frankly, I don't know what is. Class, moreover, is not something you can fake, and Alison Goldfrapp always had plenty of it to offer, which also makes a difference in further elevating the overall quality of the record. Certainly one of the best pop releases of the year and a good solo start for its author, but those who have never forgiven Goldfrapp for the electronic turn of "Black Cherry" and "Supernature" should abstain from listening since they'll find very little suited to their palate here.