Goldfrapp

Goldfrapp biography

Goldfrapp is an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp (vocals/synthesizer) and Will Gregory (synthesizer).

Despite favourable reviews and a shortlisting for the Mercury Prize, the ambient sound of their 2000 debut album Felt Mountain did not chart highly. Goldfrapp's second album Black Cherry, which incorporated glam rock and synthpop sounds into their music, was released in 2003. The album experienced success across nightclubs in North America and influenced the same dance-oriented sound of their third album Supernature. Supernature took Goldfrapp's work further into dance music, and enjoyed international chart success. Their fourth album Seventh Tree placed a greater emphasis on ambient and downtempo music, drawing inspiration from nature and Paganism, while their fifth album, Head First, found the group exploring 1980s-influenced synthpop.

History

Formation (1999)

Alison Goldfrapp began her musical career in the early 1990s as a guest vocalist with the electronic band Orbital and trip hop artist Tricky. In 1999, she was introduced to composer Will Gregory after he had listened to an early version of the song "Human". Gregory felt a connection with Goldfrapp and invited her to record a demo for the film soundtrack he was composing, to see if they could work together. The demo was never completed, but the recording session had been pleasant. Following several months of phone calls, they decided to form a musical band and began performing under Goldfrapp's last name.

In August 1999, Goldfrapp signed a recording contract with London-based record label Mute Records. The pair began recording their debut album over a six-month period, beginning in September 1999, in a rented bungalow in the Wiltshire countryside. The recording process was difficult for Alison, who often found herself alone and disturbed by the mice and insects in the bungalow.

Felt Mountain (2000-2002)

Goldfrapp's debut album Felt Mountain was released in September 2000 and featured the singles "Lovely Head", "Utopia", "Pilots (On a Star)" and "Human". The album featured Alison Goldfrapp's synthesized vocals over cinematic soundscapes and is influenced by a variety of music styles including cabaret, folk and electronic music. The album was well received by music critics, described as "simultaneously smarmy and seductive, yet elegant and graceful". It reached number fifty-seven on the UK Albums Chart, and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry. In 2001, Felt Mountain was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, an annual music prize awarded for the best British or Irish album from the previous year.

The lyrics on Felt Mountain were written by Alison Goldfrapp and are abstract obsessional tales inspired by films, her childhood, and the loneliness she felt while recording the album. The song "Oompa Radar" was inspired by Roman Polanski's film Cul-de-Sac, while "Pilots", which describes travelers floating in the atmosphere above the earth, was inspired by John Barry's James Bond theme songs.

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