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Goldfrapp
Article for Riffin' by Webjockey Elke Jon
Hear Elke Jon’s Rifflist:
Goldfrapp
Tough girl chic meets glitter meets cabaret sex kitten, Alison Goldfrapp’s postmodern pastiche of styles reflects her eclectic mix of influences ranging from glam rock to electroclash to bossa nova. Slashed and diced black baby doll dresses paired with pouty lips and golden curls, fishnet veils and bowlers, elephant bells and cream-puff sleeves made entirely of black leather—all are featured in Goldfrapp’s weird fantasy world of fashion, where playing dress up is just as much a part of her musical production as her sexy, breathy vocals.
Goldfrapp, formed in 1999 by fabulous front-girl Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, is part of a new crop of musical artists focusing on visual expression within their music (such as M.I.A. or freak-folk sisters CocoRosie), supplementing music with a distinctive and defining fashion and aesthetic. For Alison Goldfrapp, this style hearkens directly back to the glitter and glitz of 70’s glam rock with a dash of Bettie Page-like kink. With flyaway curls, thigh-high boots and outrageous silhouettes, Alison Goldfrapp’s style is sexy, stunning and completely over the top.
In the indulgent style of glam-rock icon David Bowie (a la Ziggy Stardust), Goldfrapp never passes up an opportunity to don something shiny, be it chunky gold pumps or a hot pink leather jacket and matching heart shaped sunglasses. With a bright blonde wig and stilt-like platform heels, this disco-fied dance floor aesthetic of rocker sex appeal is reflected in her musical sound, tempering her mod electro-roughness with a distinctly feminine touch.
Staying true to her constantly evolving aesthetic, Alison is currently taking an artistic turn towards a more natural, whimsical look inspired by harlequin print, feathers and pastels—think frost instead of glitter and icicles instead of diamonds—that coincides with a softer and more meditative sound featured on Goldfrapp’s new album entitled "Seventh Tree," released February 25th on Mute Records. Cutting edge and never predictable, Goldfrapp’s style is always a brilliant bolstering of the bizarre, challenging the boundaries of fashion and musical artistry.
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