Goldfrapp - Ooh La La

Thu 25th Aug, 2005 in Music Reviews

It’s been a while since I’ve laced up my dancing shoes and smeared on the glitter make-up, but I can still dig a bit of pop electro as much as the next disco queen. Let’s face it – even if you’re not the Red Bull type of music enthusiast, you have to admit that Goldfrapp has released some amazing material over the past few years. From the gorgeously lush soundscapes of Felt Mountain, to the sweet and sour mirrorball pop of Black Cherry, there hasn’t been much in the way of bad tunes.

On the eve of releasing the new album Supernature, the single Ooh La La has been pumped out to get some feet tapping in anticipation. In case you weren’t aware, Goldfrapp is a collaboration between Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory (obviously, Will isn’t glam enough to grace album covers, liner notes, or even get a mention most of the time). Goldfrapp have to be one of the best-marketed groups around. They’re hip, they’re stylish, they’re boundary-pushers, and they’re a little bit kooky and mysterious. They’ve garnered the interest of Marilyn Manson and Franz Ferdinand, and the new album was mixed by the legendary Spike Stent (Madonna, Bjork, Massive Attack, U2).

Well, the simple promotion tactic of pre-release single has reeled me in. Ooh La La seems to latch onto several parts of your brain and give it a shake-up. From the ascending synth line and the demure introduction of Goldfrapp’s vocals, you can tell this track is headed in a good direction. By the time the hand clap sampling makes it’s entrance, you’re on the edge of your seat. It’s all over by the time the chorus has thundered its way into town – you know you’re going to need another hit of this, and quickly.

Ooh La La somehow stays clear of the cliches of disco, while coyly suggesting that you step onto the dance floor. It’s got the rock aesthetics of solid, bassy downbeat and a focus on increasing the rhythm intensity and as-minimalist-as-it-gets vocals that you could at least pretend to sing along to. The monotonous synth sounds and warbles of samples are hypnotic, and absolutely every centimetre of aural space is filled with the robust and spiky-surfaced chorus.

And, with all instant-gratification electro, there are remixes to keep you happy even after the single track has finished. German elelectro-house team Tiefschwarz, Benny Benassi and Phones (Paul Epworth, Bloc Party and Futureheads producer) all throw their own spin of the tune on disc and if anything it’s an interesting listen to compare and contrast. Benassi’s mix is fairly standard – house beat, a lot of the vocals and synth flourishes go missing, and consequently a fair bit of depth is lost. I call this one ‘just add ecstasy’. Phones’ re- edit is far more subdued and bigger on synth than voice, but almost as effective as the original. Finally, the Tieschwarz Dub approach rips all the melody out before slowly feeding it back in over a hard house beat.

Regardless, we all know the focus here is on the original rather than the appropriated, and it’s a damn fine track unaltered by outside sources. The Goldfrapp sound certainly has evolved dramatically since Felt Mountain, and I can’t wait to see where the latest album is headed.