rating: 3
Tales of Us is the latest release from British electronic dance duo Goldfrapp. The duo fronted by Alison Goldfrapp and producer Will Gregory are renowned for their euro brand of dance pop. Often hailed as a group who are always mixing up their sound upon each new release and surprising fans with their changes. As a fan of their previous work I was interested to hear what they had in store for their sixth release.
With Tales of Us Goldfrapp reverts back to a familiar territory previously heard on their debut album Felt Mountain which has the duo straying away from their electronic infused pop numbers that made them popular dance floor fillers. Tales of Us shows Alison and Will delve into a stripped back sound with captivating vocals sung in a storytelling style. With few electronic effects each song holds an organic and rawness heard through violins, acoustic guitar and piano allowing Alison's vocals to dominate each track. Each track holds a personal element to it by them all being named a male or female character with the exception of one track - Stranger.
Tales of Us shows Goldfrapp transitioning into a softer sound, where the songwriting is the most important factor. Alison weaves stories about a range of characters who seems to have experienced an element of sadness in their lives. The ballad-filled album is poetic in its own way, but has potential to sound repetitive and dreary with each songs containing the same style of instruments and vocals. Making up for the repetitiveness of the album is tracks like debut single Drew which features a climax of violins and drums creating a stand out moment on the not so exciting beginning of the track. Tracks Jo and Alva reach their own heights with Alison showcasing her layered vocals at the end of the tracks. Breaking away from the soft sound is Thea which holds the darkness heard on the other tracks but has a more upbeat element to it heard through some Goldfrapp signature synthesizers and thumping bass, backing Alison's falsetto vocals . As a whole Tales of Us has its outstanding moments which is seen with the change of tempo, but those moments will sadly be overshadowed by the repetitive nature of the other songs containing minimal intrigue.