Goldfrapp fans are in for a noticeably different sound from the British duo on the Flood-co-produced “Seventh Tree,” due Feb. 26 via Mute.
Although it doesn’t completely eschew the synth-fueled dance grooves of prior efforts, there’s a greater emphasis on ethereal, psychedelic pop in the vein or early Air.
“We did talk quite a lot about what kind of instruments would get that kind of warmth and that kind of sound we wanted,” Alison Goldfrapp says. “We’d never used acoustic guitars before. We wanted the sound to be delicate, but not weak.”
The group’s new knack for experimenting with its sound led to some songs being recorded in an afternoon, and others taking ages to finish. Indeed, opener “Clowns” was penned in a day but not completed for another six months, according to multi-instrumentalist Will Gregory.
Goldfrapp’s live shows usually incorporate numerous visual elements, but things will be more stripped for the Seventh Tree tour next year. “We’re going to try and do it unplugged and be more acoustic about it, and see how that feels,” Gregory says. “We did an acoustic radio session and we really enjoyed that. I think that involves more people, having little chamber group sounds.”
Here is the track list for “Seventh Tree”:
“Clowns”
“Little Bird”
“Happiness”
“Road To Somewhere”
“Eat Yourself”
“Some People”
“AandE”
“Cologne Cerrone Houdini”
“Caravan Girl”
“Monster Love”
