Goldfrapp
Head First

Goldfrapp are back after a two-year hiatus since "The Seventh Tree" and once again make a turn, venturing into new musical territories. They abandon the rich and (pseudo)acoustic arrangements of the previous album, to make a more precise and homogeneous stylistic choice, even more minimalistic.

With "Head First", they seem to further develop their 80s revival endeavor already explored in the album "Supernature", in tracks like "Fly me away" and "Ooh la la". Here, however, what was previously just an interval in an album steeped in chill-out and luxury club atmospheres becomes the norm. It would be hard to do a track-to-track review of this work, as the sound immediately presents itself as quite homogeneous. However, we should not expect a slew of songs that are all the same. On the contrary, even though the arrangements rely almost entirely on electronics, this album boasts a succession of diverse and well-crafted melodies. 

But it is the choice of arrangements that immediately stands out. It seems as though one is faced with a kind of successful amalgamation of 80s synthpop, which here and there nods to the soundtrack of Olivia Newton John's negligible film "Xanadu", the soundtrack of "Lady Hawke" and even the famous theme of "The NeverEnding Story". The direction Goldfrapp has taken consists of a precise revival of a decidedly synthetic pop, without being sterile and mechanical. On the contrary, Alison and her partner manage to capture the most dreamy and imaginative elements that infused the aesthetic of the 80s, especially in cinema. A revival operation, as mentioned, which also expresses a certain nostalgia. Some electronic sounds, indeed, seem to have been extracted from the background music of a video game for Atari or Commodore 64, without however delving into it completely like in the case of Crystal Castles. 

Among the tracks, we highlight the intriguing lead single "Rocket". A song with a very simple structure that impresses with its immediate catchiness, supported by a colorful and remarkably fun video. We also underline the driving Believer or the more relaxed and airy "Dreaming" and the final track "Voicething", slightly psychedelic and reminiscent of the band's chill-out roots. The quality of the tracks remains consistently high, without any lulls or filler songs. The album consists of only 9 tracks. A judicious selection that leaves no bitter aftertaste. At the end of the listening session, one finds themselves satisfied, aware of holding a complete work, without blemishes or gaps. 

There is no need to elaborate too much on Alison Goldfrapp's vocal technique. She indeed presents her usual repertoire of meows and sighs, which her velvety and deliberately snobbish voice adeptly outlines with the vanity that is her main trait. A vanity that even winks from the cover, simple, almost simplistic, but always supported by a refined and detached sex appeal.

In conclusion, I found this album to be yet another demonstration of Goldfrapp's skill, even better conceptualized than the previous "The Seventh Tree" or the more pandering "Supernature". Goldfrapp prove that they have not at all exhausted their desire to experiment, even while rehashing areas already extensively explored by other artists, such as the 80s revival, which, in recent years, especially since Madonna's "Confessions on a Dance Floor", has been increasingly influencing the international music scene.