Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree

From its first note, Seventh Tree sucks the listener into its bluesy world of regret and wistfulness. These are songs of love and regret, much like those on their 2000 debut, Felt Mountain. Alison Goldfrapp recently spoke of wishing to create songs with space to breathe, and with this release she's certainly succeeded. Her voice inflates the natural dramatics of the material: the songs have a cinematic, otherworldly quality, painting pictures in one's mind as the lyrics roll on, particularly on first single A&E. On Caravan Girl, the otherworldliness takes over totally, bathing the listener in sunlight while Goldfrapp's voice continues to caress you. Tracks like this are positively luxurious in winter's depths. This is proof that dance music needn't be mindlessly upbeat. While it lacks Supernature's immediacy, the songs here gel far better as a whole. Described by the band as "hazy, hypnotic and psychedelic", it's a good note on which to end. [Jonathan Robert Muirhead]