New Music: Goldfrapp

By Gurman Sahota, April 27 2017 —

After a four-year break, Goldfrapp returns with Silver Eye. Don’t get too excited though, since the album feels like a reproduction of previous works by the English electro-pop duo.

The album begins and ends in the same way — bland and homogenous, with each track nearly indecipherable from one another. It is an album suited to a prolonged study session akin to the ebb and flow of soft classical music. But beyond being a helpful study aid, Goldfrapp misses the electronic mark with lacklustre vocals and instrumentals that blend into the background.

Prior to this release, the band has released some innovative hits. But one of the only decent songs on this album is “Faux Suede Drifter.” It feels like the moment where you jump into a cold body of water on a hot summer day, right after that crisp silence when all stimuli stop for a second. But as you body rises to the surface, the muffled sounds of those on land come into consciousness. “Faux Suede Drifter” has potential, but much like a hot summer’s day, the only reprieve is going back and repeating the jump into the track’s intro.

The album ends with “Ocean,” a song that melts into the rest of the tracks. If listeners pay attention to the lyrics, Goldfrapp sings an ode that speaks of losing your will and making sacrifices for others. Lyrics like “I’ve lost the will / I’ve lost my way” play well to the theme of the album and its mediocrity.

Although the album’s 10 tracks complement each other, they add up to nothing more than background music when doing tasks such as cleaning or studying. Each song on the album begins with huge potential, but the execution is always disappointing. If the style of “Faux Suede Drifter” was continued, perhaps the work wouldn’t be as dull. It’s a shame that Goldfrapp has become comfortable so in their niche. This spells out dire consequences for the band if any subsequent releases mimic Silver Eye and its sleepy 44 minutes of music.