Goldfrapp: "Supernature"

Through pioneering electronics, crystalline vocals, visual theatrics and glam-sex decadence, for their new offering Supernature, they've moved through the ambient shadows into the technicolour thrill that is the hallmark of classic British pop music. After Felt Mountain (2000), their glacial, Mercury Award-nominated debut, the second album--the Brit- nominated Black Cherry--was the benchmark of 2003. Here was the sound and vision of Art-Pop-Now; the crack of Marlene Dietrich's stiletto on Donna Summer's back, a thundering, sweat-lashed, discotronic soundscape which spawned remix requests from both Franz Ferdinand and Marilyn Manson. It's two euphoric, electro-stomp anthems, "Train" and "Strict Machine" (and their eye- lasering videos) were that year's peak of adrenalised, class-pop cool.

As an English duo who write and produce everything together, the new album by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory reflects their sound breaking through their own crash barrier, a strident, psychedelic, 100% uncompromising creative force at the top of their very own game. Theirs is a self-made, alternative reality in music, vision and soul. "We create our own, personalized environment," says Alison, "and it's more how bands or duos used to do it in the 70s or 80s, your own music, art directing your own sleeves, wearing your own clothes, which is unique compared to a lot of bands. Now, you might get people writing their own music, if that. And they'll have a whole entourage creating all the other stuff. I like being part of the eccentrics, people who've created everything themselves. It's an alternative reality, says Will Gregory, taking ourselves somewhere else and that's why we do it.

The rest of the world seems to enjoy the trip too. From the first blast of "Lovely Head" on Felt Mountain through to Black Cherry, their sound and vision has spread organically through every medium. Their music has appeared in Europe and USA as the enigmatic soundtrack to a wide spectrum of film and TV. Since 2003, a Goldfrapp visual staple--the use of animalistic imagery--has spread throughout MTV, London's Harvey Nichols window displays and even BMW ads, a nod to their live show spectaculars where dancers wear stag's heads and Alison shimmies her horses tail. There's always been animals in there because I'm interested in nature and mythology, says Alison, They're great metaphors for human emotions and ideas and have an unexplainable sensuality which is really attractive and mysterious.

Long-term lovers of left field, widescreen, pan-European avant- garde, from Serge Gainsborough to 70s Polish disco, from Kate Bush to Prince, they refuse to be limited. Created near Bath where they both now live, Supernature continues their only theme of infinite possibility. We rented a chintzy cottage in nowhere land, says Alison, and just filled it with all the gear. But it's not Georgian glory, it's much more crusty than that, which is a good thing. It's more bushes and chintzy sofas. 70s Hoovers next to synthesizers. Amplifiers next to microwave ovens. Adds Will, And bread-bins. There's a view, horses running around outside. Alison: So in the midst of all the synthesizers there's probably a few lawnmowers and birds tweeting. We've made an electronic, glam cross between Berlin, New York and north-east Somerset.

Again they have created a landscape all their own. Breathe in deeply and let it fill you with colours, huge washes of electronics, machines that grow thorns and petals, passion blooming on a diet of synths and strings.

The album takes everything Black Cherry achieved and boots it into infinity, with a thrilling, lip-glossed euphoria (mixed by Spike Stent, legendary twiddler for Madonna, Bjork, Massive Attack and U2).

We've stepped up a gear, says Alison, because we're more knowledgeable. With Black Cherry we were still discovering ourselves whereas this time we're just much more confident. We've grown a lot, adds Will, found other ways of expressing. We've even got a couple of guitars on this album. It's always good to break your own rules, laughs Alison, that's the fun bit. There's bigger dirty bass lines and guitars, alongside the synths and strings.

From the outset, Supernature is a colossal, multi-layered, sonic-pop thriller, a radical, confident, bold record, like a Roxy or Revolver for the twenty-first century: the acid-tinged, bewitchingly-sung U Never Know, the irresistible, catch-all throb of Lovely 2 C U, the roaring Numanoid synths of Koko, the woozy, orchestral dreamscape of Time Out From The World, the perverted robotics of Slide In and the gorgeous, beguiling Let It Take You. Before that, though, there's Satin Chic featuring Will, going berserk on the honky-tonk piano.

Great fun, grins Alison, quirky and a bit nasty but simple as well, lots of references to colours, competitiveness and possessiveness, exaggerated through these boings. I remember, years ago, going to see Jah Shaka and thinking that he was absolutely amazing with all the homemade equipment he had and the sheer inventiveness. It was really inspiring and has stayed with me ever since. I was yelling in the studio, stupid with excitement. Get those boings up!

And, of course, the traditionally sizzling Goldfrapp first single, Ooh La La, a pulsing, sophisticated, glam-pop dynamo featuring Alison's homage to the almighty, aloof, playful vocals of classic Marc Bolan. Decadent and ooh-la-la, notes Alison, correctly. We've always been into layered vocals and how they treated vocals on albums in the 70s, using slap- back effects and thick drum sounds. I love that campness, that slightly throwaway but slightly nasty poutiness which is always appealing. And Marc Bolan was always bloody great at that. As was Marlene Dietrich. Sulky, sexual and ambiguous. The Ooh La La video directed by Dawn Shadforth (Kylie Minogue, Garbage, Jamiroqai), naturally is vibrant, visceral, sexualized insanity. Glam fantasy, says Alison, with lots of post-production and fantasy graphics. Wanton girl goes wrong. Broken heart and fuck off.

Performance-art believers in spectacle, who flood their stage-show with cabaret craft, showgirls, tit tasslers and the aforementioned dancers, wearing stag heads. I really enjoy the freedom of having other people on stage, decides Alison, but I always found it slightly frustrating not being able to see the tit tassling, as it was happening behind me. I have this picture in my mind of these tits going round and round and round and what the hell does that look like I love it. Last year's live highlight was definitely Glastonbury, it's such an English institution and it went brilliantly, with the sun going down. We were on just after Franz Ferdinand which was weird because they were the it band at the time. And they were very sweet. They all bowed to us before we walked onstage which I thought was very charming.

Goldfrapp are going overground, taking their rightful place in 2005 at the cutting edge of flashing-dancefloor pop creating brand new greatness and inspiring a generation. We can't wait for the new record to come out now, says Alison, because this time there's so much more. More drama, more colour, more diversity, everything we love about what we do, just more. Oooh, it's exciting!