Ellie Goulding ‘Halcyon’ Review

“Halcyon” is Ellie Goulding’s flag on the moon. A cover of Elton John’s “Your Song” brought her to Prince William’s Wedding. Her first LP “Lights” put her on the EDM-map. But in the much-anticipated follow-up “Halcyon”, she delivers. She’s here to stay.
This time it’s all about Goulding’s ethereal helium voice. She’s at the center of every track, as a master of ceremonies conducting a journey. She leads us through heartbreak and into a new era defined by hope and exploration. It’s a 13-track exclamation point.

Goulding retreated to her native Herefordshire near the Welsh border to write and record “Halcyon.” The songs aren’t inherently electronically based. They’re more love letters, poems that she wrote with a guitar, and then set to beats. Her voice is the centerpiece.

The second track “My Blood” is a call to arms, a high-pitched warrior cry. She layers her voice on top of itself, creating a one-woman chorus backed by piano keys.

The raspy voice we grew accustomed to on “Lights” showed itself early on the single “Anything Could Happen” and on titular “Halcyon” it becomes her sexy footprint. It’s an electro-ballad with tight guitar strumming and fairylike electronic notes that guide lyrics: “When it’s just us, you show me what it feels like to be lonely. You show me what it feels like to be lost.” But she tells us, “It’s going to be better.” And the fairies let an unexpected beat go.

In “Figure 8” she makes a power play. “Lovers hold onto everything,” she says. Hard drops — deeper than we’ve seen yet on the album — accompany the emotion. It’s a dance track, one that cocoons her vocals. But still, her voice trumps all.
Goulding throws in some piano and violin notes and creates a symphony that comes to a head in “Atlantis.” She has her version of a foot-stamping tantrum that is just crying out for some hair tossing. You can almost see her singing over and over herself through the speakers.

“Halcyon” is lyrically based and vocally driven but Goulding uses her vocals to create a paradox. She tells us things we’ve heard before or even thought of ourselves. Her lyrics are obvious. But this time, she reminds us we’re hearing familiar concepts differently. We’re hearing them through EDM.

Over the past few weeks, Ellie Goulding reminded us that anything could happen. In “Halcyon” she backs it up. Yes. They can, especially when they’re covered in Goulding’s fairy dust.

Buy on iTunes.

Written By: Jessica Goodman