Supernature

Goldfrapp | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 7, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mute U.S.
• ASIN: B000EGDC0A
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,683 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #35 in Music > Dance & DJ > Trip-Hop

Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.co.uk Review

With their Black Cherry album, the duo of vocalist Alison Goldfrapp and composer Will Gregory moved emphatically away from the folky, filmic forays of their debut Felt Mountain to explore edgier, sexier themes. Supernature, their third long-player, continues to probe this more "adult" world, lashing together lascivious electro, cascading synths and the exhumed spirits of artists like Gary Numan and Giorgio Moroder. Lead single "Ooh La La", with its cosmetic sheen and hedonistic pop feel, is a good indicator for the rest of the album. The aphotic, flirtatious pulse of tracks like "Ride A White Horse" and "Koko" contrast subtly with spectral dream-pieces such as "Let It Take U" and "U Never Know", while Goldfrapp’s vocals--dripping here with a digitized sensuality--and Gregory’s arching soundscapes provide textural continuity. Occasionally vampish and consistently visceral, this is a classy excursion into Goldfrappian gothic dance-pop.

Product Description

There aren't many British female singers who do their own thing with unapologetic flair, eccentric lyrics and outspoken abandon. Women like Moloko's Roisin Murphy, Garbage's Shirley Manson, and Goldfrapp's Alison Goldfrapp, who releases her third album in collaboration with band mate, co-writer and producer, Will Gregory. Supernature follows their Mercury Prize nominated debut release Felt Mountain in 2000 and 2003's Black Cherry. The new album is the sound of Goldfrapp breaking through their own crash barrier - an uncompromising, psychedelic, electro-glam, creative force at the top of their very own game. Supernature is a triumph; a combination of electronics and decadence, soaring, sneering vocals and high drama, which references pretty much every glamorous, dark, witty, twisted bit of pop produced over the last 20 years. Mute. 2005. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TOTALLY worth getting the deluxe edition, March 16, 2006

By 

Irony Value "Irony Value" (BAYOU) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Supernature (W/Dvd) (Dlx) (Audio CD)

Um, DAMN. I really enjoyed Goldfrapp's 1st album, Felt Mountain, which was ballsy in its baroque string arrangements, Alison's Shirley Bassey delivery, and its utter lack of caring whether or not it could be danced to. This is MUCH less innovative. So why do I love it so? It's one of the few albums in my entire collection that I could easily put on at a party and not ONE person would hate it, or want to change the disc. The last time that happened was probably Blowback by Alison's old friend Tricky. Anyone who buys a lot of electronic music knows this dilemma--YOU know how cool the album you just bought is, but people less cool than you think it sounds like Depeche Mode on ketamine. With Supernature, bliss will abound.

This is certainly one of the poppiest things I own, and yet also a satisfying, joyous, sexy listen, with NO WEAK TRACKS. The videos on the DVD are utterly worth it; Alison has developed an amazing stage presence and a totally playful and ironic way to project her sexuality. She's a dreamy and somewhat geeky sex symbol for smart boys. If you're straight, male, and have an IQ over 120, you WILL SWOON. You have been warned.

Perfect for fans of any form of contemporary or retro electronic music, provided their sense of fun outweighs the degree to which they take anything seriously. This is the sexiest, most debauched thing I've bought in, well, EVER.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super Gold, March 30, 2006

By 

Dogville (Sunny Island) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Supernature (W/Dvd) (Dlx) (Audio CD)

Heralded as one of the best albums of 2005 and counting Madonna as a fan, Goldfrapp's third album is a radical departure from their debut and a natural extension of Black Cherry. While not as darkly ecletic as Felt Mountain, Supernature is still nonetheless a gem in its own right.

Fusing great dance and electronic elements together along with Will Gregory's trademark production, this is one hell of a dance record. There's the funky retro Ooh La La, the irresistable electro anthemn #1, and the poppy Ride A White Horse, all of which have been cleverly released as singles. Other great tracks include Slide In, Satin Chic and Lovely 2 CU. In fact, it's the album you pop into the CD player and you won't stop grooving until the end.

On the US edition, the track Beautiful is tagged along as a bonus. Beautiful sounds like it could have been on Black Cherry, a little chilling and atmospheric than most other tracks on Supernature.

The DVD companion on the Deluxe edition is something of a treat. Audiophiles get the 5.1 treatment of the album along with photos, videos and live footages. Not be missed is the teasing video of #1 featuring Alison Goldfrapp with her dog doc in the ops theater.

Not that America is going to warm up to any good dance records, but Goldfrapp's Supernature is a treat for anyone with a keen ear for good music.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A bit tempered, but a good trip regardless, March 7, 2006

By 

Megarat "a well-intended critic" (Squirt Island, USA, Earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Supernature (Audio CD)

I originally purchased "Supernature" as an import, so I've given this album a solid day in court. While it has grown on me in the last few months, my opinion still stands: "Supernature" is good solid stuff, but it doesn't measure up to Goldfrapp's first two albums.

"Felt Mountain" was a dreamy voyage through svelte lounge pop, and "Black Cherry" was a spewing geyser of electro-synth technolust. "Supernature" is, musically, a perfect chimera of the two: sedate-ish pop songs with time-signatures, progressions, and structure similar to those on "Felt Mountain", but using the electronic wall-of-sound from "Black Cherry". Like "Felt Mountain", the songs on "Supernature" are largely free of musical hooks. This lack of hooks contributed to "Felt Mountain" being a downtempo masterpiece, but it makes pop music seem ephemeral, which is "Supernature"'s greatest weakness: many of these songs don't stick around in your mind after they're over. They're nice to listen to, and as far as pop music goes they're very innovative, but they just doesn't leave you haunted.

I do enjoy this album, even though I initially found it underwhelming, because the duo are still putting together songs that are untraditional and interesting. The arrangements have a beautiful complexity and Allison's vocalwork are clearly among the top 1% of her peers. That said, I didn't notice this right away, and the uniqueness of the tracks really come out with repeated listens. They're more subtle and don't rely on either raw energy (ala "Black Cherry") or a unique lounge vibe ("Felt Mountain"). So if "Supernature" doesn't live up to your immediate expectations, give it some time. It may grow on you.

While I think this album is the weakest in their portfolio, it's still a good listen, and besides, even Goldfrapp on an off-day makes most radio-standard pop seem like algorithm-generated plodding.

Note: the US release differs from the original UK edition in that it has a bonus track, "Beautiful", a B-side from the "Number 1" single, and thankfully this is one of the strongest songs on the entire CD. For those completists out there who already have the UK version, it's really difficult to justify spending $15 just to get one new track, so if you're torn, you'd be better off tracking down the "Number 1" single (since it has "Beautiful" and another exclusive track, "All Night Operator", and some remixes).

(In case anyone out there is wondering, unlike the import version of this album, the US release has neither copy protection nor OpenDisc-based DRM technology, which can cause problems with computers, car stereos, portable disc players, etc. The US release is the way a music CD should be.)