Alison Goldfrapp – ‘The Love Invention’ album review
Stepping out into the solo spotlight for the first time, British synthpop scientist Alison Goldfrapp is staking her claim as one of the genre’s most important figures of the 21st century. That reputation has already been solidified thanks to her 20-plus-year collaboration with Will Gregory in Goldfrapp. As the frontwoman and face of the band, Goldfrapp was never shy about taking dancefloors by storm. And with her debut solo album, The Love Invention, Goldfrapp keeps the ship steady as the sole captain.
With the Covid-19 pandemic effectively putting Goldfrapp the band on hold, Goldfrapp the individual began the process of building out her own home studio. “It was really important to me to work more independently,” the singer says. “I set up this room with a load of equipment, and it got me into a groove. Being in this room with just my engineer enabled me to indulge in a way that I hadn’t done before. I love listening to vocals with lots of harmonies — stacks of vocals — and I had fun doing that. It’s all my voice on the album; it’s a lot of work.”
If there’s anything that Goldfrapp herself has become an expert in, it’s finding the perfect melody for each of her grooves. Tracks like ‘Love Invention’, ‘Fever’, and ‘Gatto Gelato’ are overflowing with hooks, memorable vocal lines, and laser-focused rhythms. Even when the tempos are slowed down for tracks like ‘The Beat Divine’ or SLoFLo’, Goldfrapp is still crafting club-ready material that can excite and entice in equal measure. The latter track even has some hazy pitch shifting, proving that Goldfrapp is as keyed into modern pop tropes as ever.
If you’re wondering what the differences between Goldfrapp the band and Goldfrapp the solo artist are, the answer is not much. The Love Invention certainly has a wider array of vocal styles and effects than anything in the Goldfrapp discography, but the reliable dance anthems remain consistent. The Love Invention isn’t really a reinvention: it’s a confirmation that Goldfrapp herself continues to be a creative force in the world of synthpop.
It’s only when Goldfrapp attempts to reach beyond having a sweaty good time in a club that she begins to stumble. ‘So Hard So Hot’ is supposed to relate to both the dancing experience and… the climate crisis facing the earth. Is it successful? As another radical house party song, absolutely. As a particularly astute investigation of current environmental issues? Less so. Not that The Love Invention can’t be nuanced – it’s just that tracks like ‘Hotel (Suite 23)’ and ‘Subterfuge’ work well because they aren’t very deep to begin with.
If you loved the feverish rhythms and groovy disco touches of Goldfrapp, then The Love Invention will double as a solid entry in the singer’s discography and a welcome to the woman herself. Does her emancipation from her longtime band appear permanent? Not at all. Is Alison Goldfrapp capable of bringing the goods while she’s true on her own? Absolutely. The Love Invention is an intoxicating listen, ready for any kind of night out where clubs and dance floors turn the rest of the world into a blur.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.