*The sound of many people with good taste gasping excitedly*

If you go down to the woods (Goldfrapp's website) today, you're in for a big surprise (a small one really, but a nice one nonetheless):

Hellooooo everybody! The beginning of new beginnings! Woohoo! Xxxxx

We have a new site coming Autumn 2012 meanwhile…. keep in touch here xxxx

YES! Autumn. Goldfrapp. Back. Crack. Sack!

 

This whole Goldfrapp 'greatest hits' thing is really not exciting us very much, mostly because we're already huge fans so we already have all the singles and know them back to front and don't need them again with different cover art when we could make our own using Paint and the playlist option in iTunes. Of course the usual draw in these singles collection type packages is the new material tacked on the end to entice hardcore stans. But we've listened to both "Yellow Halo" and "Melancholy Sky", and as lovely as they are, they sound like forgotten b-sides, not anything to get worked up into a froth about. Here is a tracklisting. We love a tracklisting:

1. "Ooh La La"
2. "Number 1"
3. "Strict Machine" (Single Mix)
4. "Lovely Head"
5. "Utopia (Genetically Enriched)"
6. "A&E"
7. "Happiness"
8. "Train"
9. "Ride a White Horse" (Single Version)
10. "Rocket"
11. "Believer"
12. "Black Cherry"
13. "Yellow Halo"
14. "Melancholy Sky" 

 Controversially (well... to a very small number of people) "Human", "Pilots", "Twist", "Fly Me Away", "Caravan Girl", "Clowns" and "Alive" have all been left off. So it's not really a complete singles collection. But whatever.

That was quick!

It was only earlier that we posted for the first time about Goldfrapp's up-and-coming Greatest Hits package thingy called The Singles. Well here is the first single/video. It's called "Yellow Halo" and it has a video shot entirely on an iPhone. Modern!

The song itself is lovely and probably a grower. So we'll wait to pass Judgement Totale. We don't want to do what we did earlier this year with the Feist single and pronounce it boring before having to do a volt-face and explain that actually it's swoonsome and brilliant.

So yeah.

Bit of an unimaginative title but HEY HO

Goldfrapp are releasing an album. Tis called The Singles, and, as you may have gathered, is a greatest hits compilation. Let's hand over to the 'Frapp themselves for further details:

Hi we are releasing an album on the 6th Feb 2012 called ‘The Singles’ and it has 2 new songs ‘Meloncholy sky’ and ‘Yellow Halo’ on it x There is a little film we made while in South America all shot on iPhone ‘Yellow Halo’ is the song x

From their twitter, don't you know. You do know, don't you. You do. Just nod your head and smile, thanks dolls. Here is what "Melancholy Sky" will probably sound like, as heard in a live session-based setting:

Albums of the Year '10!

Originally this was printed in our INCREDIBLE ZINE (that we had many more orders for than we anticipated - thanks for that) but we thought for those of you who were too busy/forgetful/shy/lazy/stupid to order a copy, we'd let you browse our albums of the year anyway. We're nice like that. So here goes:

Swanlights - Antony & The Johnsons
If you thought it was impossible for Antony Hegarty's music to grow even more beautiful, you were wrong. Swanlights is so fragile, so delicate, so threaded through with a bittersweet despair, you find yourself unsure whether you should cry, smile or do both. The lyrics are especially and charmingly oblique, the album is like nothing else.

Flesh Tone - Kelis
A brave new direction from an artist previously well established in a rather rigid set of genre constraints, Flesh Tone reflects a desire for experimentation and new tastes… things we love. The music is certifiably incredible, with the very best producers in the field of dance moulding their sounds to fit Kelis‟ rather spectacular personality. The music is glorious, the imagery is exciting, the segues are wonderful. A brilliant album.

All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu - Rufus Wainwright
Wainwright may be one of the cleverest people in pop but occasionally his music is overcomplicated and his voice flat when set against his rich, ornate arrangements.
Not on this album, a pared down masterpiece borne from Rufus' grief at his mother's death. His piano playing is both modern and timeless, his songwriting: frenetic and heartbreaking.

Pink Friday - Nicki Minaj
We may still be a lil' biased due to this being the only thing we've listened to for a fortnight, but this was the biggest fresh breath of hip hop air we've taken in a very long time. Her raps are intelligent, funny, bossy and have something to actually say, while we must admit we're more than taken with her ridiculously trashy look. Her singing voice is pretty-bordering-on-quite-good, and her knack for sampling fucking good songs is more than endearing. The best vocal riff from “Don‟t You (Forget About Me)” (The Breakfast Club anyone?) is used to magical effect on “Blazin”.

Have One On Me – Joanna Newsom
How do you follow up arguably one of the greatest albums of all time? Triple it, apparently. This 3CD extravaganza is so expertly wrought it leaves you (literally) breathless. How does Newsom fold such spellbinding interlocking rhythms and melodies into eachother? How does she weave stories so meandering and heavy with meaning? An incredible achievement.

Head First - Goldfrapp
While (unusually for such musical innovators) appearing at the tail end of the brief but blissful resurgence of 80s synthesised dream pop at the end of the decade, Head First still manages to spin something new from used yarn. The soundscapes more than meet the expectations laid down by Goldfrapp's preceding reputation and body of work, with truly uplifting tunes being welcomed into their impressive canon. And the artwork is fucking gorgeous.

The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
Nostalgia for a simpler time is the theme for Arcade Fire's third album and it says a lot that it speaks so directly to someone only 20 years old. It says a lot about how fast our rapidly-developing world has changed. And it says a lot about the skill of Arcade Fire‟s songwriting – turning a semi-cliché subject from something potentially trite into something sumptuous and heartrending and bleak.

Here Lies Love - David Byrne & Fatboy Slim
We weren‟t especially knowledgeable about the work of David Byrne, Fatboy Slim or Imelda Marcos, but if you put them in a food processor (not literally lolz) and an incredibly captivating concept album featuring a plethora of fabulous all-female singers (just what we like) pops out, maybe they should work together more often. The insufferable Florence Welch becomes mildly likeable, while Martha Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, Róisín Murphy and Tori Amos form just some of the remarkable vocal talent. “Solano Avenue” featuring the previously-unknown-to-us Nicole Atkins is a highlight.

The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III) - Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe careened into our lives with her stunning and effortlessly inventive EP, Metropolis (Suite I – The Chase Suite), particularly on the track “Many Moons” – a song so jampacked full of energy and a seemingly boundless set of ideas, it left us literally breathless the first time we heard it. Ohhh, we thought, what the hell was that?! It was like André 3000 had had a sex change and decided to cover Madonna's “American Life”, produced by Missy
Elliott and coached in vocal acrobatics by Kate Bush and Erykah Badu. Actually, we hate those sorts of descriptions, so totally ignore that and bear in mind that if you're not already familiar with Janelle Monáe (you should be), she's unlike anything else. Ok, one last comparison: imagine if Janet Jackson had 10 times the vocal range she does, was capable of orchestration, lyrical dexterity and obsessed with science fiction – then you might be able to picture just how incredible The ArchAndroid is…

That's the thing… Ms. Monáe is so inventive, her palette of references and influences so delightfully varied, and her voice so dextrous and skilled, that it's hard to find the words to do her work justice. This album is truly, something to savour (although not perfect, we hope future works might be shorter, with one or two filler tracks cut). The tracks blend into each other effortlessly, and especially since some of them are very long and contain many changes of pace, sometimes you don't know whether you've moved from one song to the next, or not. You enter an endless dream-world where symphony orchestras loom out at you, only to be replaced by punky guitar riffs (“Come Alive: The War of the Roses), hazy 70s prog-like ballads (“Mushrooms and Roses”) and futuristic funk.

Some believe that great music is music that does the un- expected: music that surprises. And nothing is more surprising than this album. One moment you're drifting away on a 50s “Tears on my Pillow”- style doowop ballad (the stunning “Oh, Maker”) and the next you're bobbing and writhing about to an almost pop-rock, uptempo (“Cold War”) . The album's crowning glory is its closing number, “BaBopByeYa”, the must sumptuous, stunning, sensuous, involving, dark, shudderingly good 8 minute track you'll hear all year .

There's supposedly a concept here, but as is often the case with superior concept albums, it's kind of besides the point – the music takes precedent here. Janelle Monáe's debut album is a work of such raw genius, it's hard to talk about without getting passionately speechless, it's the kind of thing you have to experience for yourself. Perhaps it'll date badly, perhaps it'll stale quickly, but one thing we know for sure: Monáe is an artist to watch and whose every move and experiment we will savour and salivate over. If you listen to only two albums from 2010 make it Robyn's Body Talk series, and this.

Body Talk - Robyn
Robyn has undoubtedly been the artist of the year, and unquestionably produced the single of the year (in the shape of “Dancing On My Own”). She's also released, alongside Janelle Monáe, the finest body of work in 2010, but her unconventional release strategy has put us in a quandary. You see, we have a chronic case of iTunes OCD, at Shiny & New towers, so Robyn's epic (in the traditional sense of the word) Body Talk series has caused us no end of grief - are they EPs? Is there an album? Is there a compilation? *head(s) explodes*

With the final, 3rd, instalment finally released, we thought that Body Talk could stand as one of the albums of the year. We wanted it to, so that we felt we had a big overarching cohesive body of work to tie 2010 together, but the officially released 15-track album didn't sound right – partly because almost every song is a heart-stopping, foot-stomping, pulse-quickening, euphoria-inducing, hip-shaking sobathon and 15 of those in a row is enough to send anyone over the edge (one needs light and shade lols)… but also because we had gotten used to each individual instalment, released as an 8 track mini- album, and their individual… erm… flavours. So this article is praising our preferred mode of listening to the Robyn songs released this year: the three separate EPs – Pt. 1, Pt. 2 and the digital-only 5-track Pt. 3:

Pt. 1 is the eclectic, masterpiece-riddled introduction to the series, veering wildly from disco (“Dancing on my Own”) to robopop (“Fembot”) to queeny reggae (“Dancehall Queen”) to dark electro (“None of Dem”), all deranged and knowing. Pt. 2 is
more cohesive, but with fewer standout highlights (although the incredible “Include Me Out” and “In My Eyes” are nothing if not memorable), much more sinuous and glitter- ing, like a gay James Bond's collective expeditions, at once dark, dangerous and intense (“Love Kills”) and then on the incredible “Indestructible (Acoustic)”, both melodramatic and romantic and yet somehow ice cold; Then the shorter and sweet(er), Pt. 3 is the poppiest, the most upbeat, jubilant , brighteyed, hopeful, not a mournful or self-pitying moment in sight – from the stompathon “Time Machine” to the heartbreaking pseudo-stalker anthem “Call Your Girlfriend”, via the über-romantic “Stars 4-ever”.

These 3 EPs may seem like they'd all slot together, but somehow, they work best (in our humble opinion) apart. Body Talk may not represent a complete or coherent album, in the traditional sense, but that doesn't matter because it's an incredible achievement. The sheer quality here is outstanding! Which other artist could expel 20 pop masterpieces in 12 months across 3 mini master- works? No one. We make the rules, so we can just as easily break them. This may not be your typical album – it may be 3 separately released ones – but that;s what makes it great. It's one of our albums of the year: a glittering abundance of tracks.

I'm a believer (in lush string remixes)...

Vinny Vero at So Hip It Hurts was lovely enough to point us in the direction of this incredible Goldfrapp remix. It's by Davide Rossi (no, us neither) and basically consists of a string quartet reimagining of new single "Believer". It's incredible, as previously mentioned, and, in fact, we'd even go so far as to say we prefer it to the original.

Have a listen and be transported and all that lark.

Shiny & New Turns 2: #5 "Number 1" - Goldfrapp

“You’re my favourite moment / You’re my Saturday”

Ah, Goldfrapp. I am yet to completely penetrate their back catalogue to the point where I feel I am passionate about their music. I eagerly download their new music, I listen to their old music fairly regularly but they have never really clicked with me to the point where I would list them as one of my favourite acts. Saying that, their last album Head First is possibly my second personal favourite, but more importantly, I can say with complete certainty that "Number 1" is one of my favourite songs. Ever. See what I mean? We have a dysfunctional relationship do me and Will & Alison.

This song transports me back to the summer of 2008 when after spending a weekend – sometimes even a day – in the company of the first person to make me feel intoxicated and heady just by being with them, I would make the journey back from Oxford to Coventry. The railway was having engineering works or something between Leamington Spa and Coventry, so I would take a replacement coach from Leamington home. This happened for a few weeks, and each time I spent that dull coach journey listening to whatever new music my boyfriend had given me. “Number 1” was the very first song by Goldfrapp I listened to on my iPod that I hadn’t heard before (I knew stuff like “Strict Machine” and “Ooh La La”), and all I remember is listening in this awe-struck daze, under a pink and yellow early evening sky in a stuffy coach, exhausted and drunk on love.

I haven’t quite worked out the canine references in the song (or the video) but I think it’s easy to understand that the most important point the song makes is the person Alison drawls on about is the most important person in her world, the one person her entire universe revolves around, the one person she thinks about night and day, the one person she isn’t really herself with out. I can relate to that.

Such a shame this beautiful artwork is wasted on a 'flop' campaign...

NO, don't get us wrong. We're not stupid enough to think that 'huge record sales' = 'quality music', but we want everyone to appreciate this stunning design. At the moment, the only people appreciating this are gay music bloggers, and the kind of people who buy limited edition 12" discs to play on their lucite gramophones ON A REGULAR BASIS (*weirdos*) (*we're just jealous*).

Oh gosh...

File under: hot, speaks for self.

A pleasant surprise...

We could wax lyrical on Goldfrapp's new album, Head First, until 'the cows come home' (see above) but we have more important things to be getting on with, and quite often, if you've made up your mind, there's little point in trying to convince you. Head First is Goldfrapp's least good album, but it's still ruddy brill. The multilayered synths, the way the songs occasionally careen of in a direction you hadn't expected, the archly sarcastic faux-trite lyrics, Alison's breathy vocals, the lush strings. It's not a revolution, but it's a short, heady, tangy delight. Don't pre-judge.

Stuck In Our Head: "Caravan Girl" - Goldfrapp

On a glorious day like today in Manchester, it is sublime to pair the warmth of the sun with Goldfrapp's sumptuous fourth effort, Seventh Tree. It may not be every Goldfrapp fan's favourite, but we fell in love with the subtle and effortless gorgeousness of it all. Their new album Head First, while absolutely fabulous in a completely different way, returns to their earlier synth glory which makes Seventh Tree an even tastier treat to savour.

"Caravan Girl"'s magic lies in its capability to instantly inspire utter bliss upon listening. You can picture yourself on a bicycle with a gingham-lined picnic basket on one handle, rolling down a country lane. It gives you, please forgive our borrowing of a favoured Harley Street slogan, an instant lift. Whip up some home-made lemonade, open the blinds, close your eyes, listen.

A creepy, phallic Goldfrapp video...

Yes we know the Myspace Video embed is dreadful but it's not on youtube yet so FORGIVE US AND FORGET IT. Goldfrapp's new video is a little cheap a little cheesey but fundamentally rather entertaining. We quite enjoy Alison playing the sociopathic trucker murderess and the smokey bits are rather pretty. Not sure what the dancers represent, their inclusion is clumsy to say the least, but overall: a good effort.

Some further thoughts on Goldfrapp's "Rocket":

Things we like about it:

• It's catchy... it also instils a want, nay need, to boogie, in the listener.
• It sounds different to anything they've done before.
• It has typically fabulous lyrics, for example: "I still want to know / how she got in the door" and the whole of the chorus, really.
• The rest of the album may be better than the lead single. "A&E" was one of Seventh Tree's best songs, as was "Lovely Head" for Felt Mountain, but both "Ooh La La" and "Train" were some of the weaker songs on their respective albums, and they still were/are fantastic.

Things we're unsure about:

• We're completely over '80s throwbacks' or '80s references' or '80s styling' so we're disappointed that with their Van Halen-style synths, Goldfrapp seem to have gone there.
• The song is a bit divisive in that some of us love it and some of us aren't really bothered.
• It's just not setting our hearts or souls on fire.

Still, this is Goldfrapp we're talking about so we're still excited for the album. It should, as they say, be a 'stonker'.

Goldfrapp's new single:

As you can hear/see/feel/smell/taste in certain places on the internet (you can buy it legally in Australia, legality fans) Goldfrapp's "Rocket" is a smashing surprise. Here follows some things we have noted about the song.

1. At first it makes you think 'hang on... this is a bit underwhelming'.
2. Then the chorus happens and you feel like you've known the song your whole life, a bit like when you meet someone and you think "I know you!" even though you don't.
3. Once it's finished you feel a bit used. Goldfrapp are a brilliant, brilliant band and have done some really outré, brave and maverick things in the past. Where they go, usually others follow. This doesn't feel as mad and cavalier as their past musical endeavours BUT...
4. As soon as it's finished you immediately want to play it again.

Always a good sign.

It's the Goldfrapp album artwork!

• Isn't it pretty?
• Isn't Alison pretty?
• It's a bit like in Back to the Future when Michael J. Fox goes back in time and prevents his parents from meeting so the photo of his siblings begins to fade them out. Do you think Alison Goldfrapp went back in time and prevented her parents from meeting thereby cancelling out her existence in the present? Or do you think someone just got carried away with some sort of 'transparency' tool on photoshop?

Alison: mid-whirl.

Very exciting news we can all get happy to: Goldfrapp are back back back! Yes. Back. Goldfrapp are. Back!

Popjustice have the low-down and it all sounds ridiculously exciting. We know this is all really lazy journalism: just linking to someone who has the goods. But in this case it's justified because a) we have no idea what's going on being one of those blogs who never get told anything and b) Popjustice do a pretty darn good job of explaining what it's all about. So... kudos.

Here are the 'deets':

• The single is called "Rocket".
• Apparently it's a return to the 'disco' sound: amazing.
• The album will be called Head First.
• It's out in March.

Fabulous!

Our Singles of the Year

Madonna – "4 Minutes"
Say what you will about the Queen of Pop, but when those barnstorming horns came clattering in you just HAD to dance.

Girls Aloud – "The Promise"
Not actually necessarily the best Girls Aloud comeback song ever, but they did retro, and they actually did it differently and without sampling a Boots ad.

Lady GaGa – "Just Dance"
This was like Into The Groove for a new generation. Bringing together Indie kids and pop aficionados alike, undoubtedly the dance record of the year.

Goldfrapp – "A&E"
Unspeakably gorgeous and rather odd. Saved the whole Seventh Tree business from being completely forgettable.

P!nk – "So What"
Not anywhere near as artistically fulfilling as the rest of the album, but an undeniably brilliant slice of pop-punk goodness and awesome breakup song.

Ladyhawke – "Back of the Van"
Those aching synths and Ms. Hawke’s own wistful vocals made this bittersweet little song one of the best underdog singles of the year.

Britney Spears – "Womanizer"
Yet again… it was a good year for amazing intros. The swizzling synths punctuated by those snare tumbles made up for the disappointment of Circus.

Solange – "I Decided (Part II)"
Not just a single of the year but probably the remix of the year too. The Freemasons managed to masterfully turn Motown funk into a veritable pop stomper of a song.

Jordin Sparks – "No Air"
An odd R&B ballad. Soaring, emotional and bizarrely structured. This wasn’t your conventional pop duet, but it was so good it was a hit anyway.

Katy Perry – "I Kissed A Girl"
Awful yet ubiquitous. No “singles of the year” list would be complete without it. It was predictable, a cheap shot and yet oddly irresistible.