Though musical chameleons often rank among the most revered songwriters in the pop canon, earning accolades for their ability to retain their core aesthetic while reinventing themselves, not every artist can be David Bowie or Beck. Just as rare but no less daring are the artists who make a mid-career stylistic shift and decide to stay there for a few years, issuing a series of albums that make it seem as if the earlier incarnation of the band never existed at all. Consider the Bee Gees, an act that sold millions of albums in their previous life as a psych-pop band, becoming the pied pipers of a disco revolution. Or take Genesis’ turn toward a mainstream synth-pop after having earned their reputation as one of their era’s definitive prog rock bands. Though shorter in duration, Goldfrapp’s relocation from the inhibited ...