Comely chanteuse Alison Goldfrapp’s CV features collaborations with Tricky, Add n to [X], Peter Gabriel and Orbital. Now, having ventured into a joint project with composer Will Gregory to which she lends her surname, Alison releases Felt Mountain, an avant-garde piece of work of sheer elegance, a treasure trove of dreamy, cinematic soundscapes and ravishing instrumental textures where each track is swathed in a sonic cloth of the finest fibre.
The Hitchcock-esque sinister aspect of the whistle on opening track Lovely Head and its spooky strings section, combined with Alison’s psychotically ambling vocals, make this “ooh”-creepy stunner the perfect soundtrack to a gripping 60’s psycho thriller flick. Paper Bag, by contrast, bristles with soothing string motifs and gently rolling drums, and has the same “icy wind” feel to it as is found on Björk’s Joga. Alison’s delivery is so serene that even the prissiest of listeners will overlook the blunt opening line “No time to f***”.
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Human, with its uptempo orchestration and glamorous flamboyance, seems custom-made for a German cabaret musical, with Alison starring as a vindictive murderess, while chill-out track Pilots ashimmers like the fiery hues of the gloaming.
On the two most outstanding moments, Deer stop and Horse Tears,which wraps up proceedings, Alison’s sublime voice shines at its most effulgent. Nocturnal, quirky synthesisers, sluggish piano chords and solemn violins form their powerful ballast. This is surely a superb debut.
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