"Halycon" is Ellie Goulding's second release, following her hit album "Lights", 2010. She's from Herefordshire in England, makes music that is sometimes electric, sometimes more orchestral, and nearly always stems from an acoustic guitar and her gorgeous soprano vocals. "Halycon" is darker and more adventurous than her first album, heavily inspired by a break-up.
"Don't Say A Word", the first track on the album, is the most unordered and beautiful arrangement of Goulding's vocals, which are so angelic and effervescent particularly in this one. Caresses for the ears. It follows by "My Blood", which is a little darker, drum-heavy and twinkles along the upper end of a piano during the chorus.
"Anything Can Happen" was the first single from this album, one of those that you recognise as soon as you hear her sing that very first bar. Ellie Goulding sings of regret, and hope. This song just soars and swoops around your head, her beautiful voice around you from all four corners. It is absolute magic, a breath of life.
What I love about this album is how natural it sounds; "Only You" kicks off with raw vocals, and a rhythm sounding like clapping hands. "Baby, I'm on my knees" repeats like a chant, music brought right back to its roots. "Halycon" is, I guess, a little chattier than the others lyrically, and it is so beautiful, rising from acoustic guitar beginnings to something bigger and more electronic, a constant variation on volume and weight, until it fades away.
"Figure 8" is so very haunting, a story of love and a call of desperation. It draws in harps, synthesisers, massive pressing drum beats, and it's like nothing she has ever done before. The combination of these instruments and, of course, the gigantic vocals, remind me of Florence, and in a way Kate Bush. It drives off in places you wouldn't expect, a really beautiful song.
Next is "JOY"; a rest and a moment of peace, of quiet. Gorgeous strings lift and dive around her voice. "I'm seeing stars, watch me fall apart." It sounds like dreams, or like the winter, like the walk you take the morning after to think and take things in.
"Hanging On" is a little closer to electronica than most, the kind of song you could both dance to or lie in peace and quiet, a cover of Active Child's. Like most of this record, it lacks the structure we expect from a typical pop song, lifting between stretches of lyricless vocals, repeated single lines and non-choruses, and this is brilliant.
Another odd, courageous and choral opening starts off "Explosions", later bringing in strings and a piano. "It will never be the same." This later combines with drums, and Ellie Goulding's lovely voice sounds just as perfect like this, restrained and quiet at times.
"I Know You Care" is beautiful, so sad and gentle and nostalgic, a song about love broken and lost. "Atlantis" follows it, in which she sings the lyrics in that intentionally blurred way, similarly to Bon Iver, the way that doesn't let you concentrate on it too much. It is so gorgeous, some of the things she does with her voice in this song is just incredible. It is so large and bright, and almost sounds cinematic at times.
The last song on the album, "Dead in the Water" is barely instrumental for its first two minutes, leaving the listener along with Goulding's beautiful voice. It is sorrowful, brings the album to a close in peace and calm. Everything about this album is so ethereal and pretty, and I really believe that after the success of "Lights", she's finding her feet even more.
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