GOLDFRAPP - Tales Of Us

Those listeners most partial to the ornately orchestrated aspects of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory's work are in luck this year, as Tales Of Us sees the pair once again ditching the disco glam (with "Thea"'s trudging stomp being the closest they get to a dance number here) and returning to the folk-inflected feel of Seventh Tree and the sombre, soundtracks-influenced side of their debut Felt Mountain.

"While The Singles showed how diverse Goldfrapp have been over the course of their career, each of their albums has its own aesthetic. Tales Of Us' aesthetic is striking; noticeably starker than anything they've made before, its orchestral string arrangements nudge up alongside atmospheric, gently played acoustic guitars. Alison Goldfrapp's voice is given plenty of space in which to seduce. An immediate standout is 'Drew,' which sees those light, airy vocals complementing cinematic orchestral swells to create a romantic, sultry, and atmospheric song that sells Goldfrapp—not for the first time—as ideal candidates to make the next Bond theme song." - MusicOMH

"The delicate guitar and piano figures and the sombre languor of strings behind Alison Goldfrapp's breathy vocals create something akin to a cross between the dreamlike mythopoeism of old folk tales and the lush cinematic arrangements of Michel Legrand. Painted in subtle poetic strokes, the tales deal even-handedly with tragedy, desire and betrayal; the characters trapped in Gordian quandaries rooted in their own natures. Especially beautiful is 'Clay,' whose true story of a tragic wartime gay romance is blessed with a heart-stoppingly euphoric melody." - The Independent