Album Review: Alison Goldfrapp, The Love Invention

For almost quarter-of-a-century, the electro-pop duo Goldfrapp, across seven albums, have concocted wonderful cosmoses of pop, glam rock, cabaret, folk, dance, disco and trip-hop – you name it, they master it. The Love Invention finds singer and producer Alison Goldfrapp going it alone, on a superb solo debut.

Indeed, the greatest DJ of all time, Larry Levan could have spun this entire album with no skippers in his early-‘80s Paradise Garage, and his berserk dancefloor of worshippers would not have missed a beat. Ridiculously, club banger follows club banger on a record chock-full with delirious four-to-the-floor pounding, oozing sensuality and euphoric release. Its hybrid of house and disco, elevated with the master touch of Richard X and James Greenwood, is a sonic delight.

Title track ‘Love Invention’ is pure Giorgio Moroder crafting Donna Summer, while ‘NeverStop’ is a sci-fi paradise of zapping lasers, multi-tracked vocals and filthy (in the best possible way) low end. Disco-funk number ‘Digging Deeper Now’ orders cocktails in the chill-out room, while the sultry acid-house of ‘Fever’ carries you away on its trance vibe.

Elsewhere, the Euro trash, Italo disco of ‘Gatto Gelato’, and its repeated refrain of “I like you”, are deliriously good. For good measure, ‘So Hard So Hot’ is a thoroughbred summer anthem, which can be heard in the flesh at a field in Westmeath, with the mighty Alison Goldfrapp hitting Body & Soul this year.

8/10

Out now