Ellie Goulding returns for her sophomore effort with the Oct. 9 released “Halcyon.” The English-born songstress burst onto the UK music scene in 2010 with the release of her debut album “Lights.” Goulding ranked in various chart rankings including No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, which proved that she was indeed a rising star in accordance with her winning of the BBC Sound of 2010 poll before she dropped her first album.
With a slew of co-writing credits before her debut release, it was no surprise that Goulding’s album was a smash hit. Her unique vocals — a little rough around the edges with a startling vibrato and vocal range — and her knack for incorporating various musical genres, made Goulding’s first studio effort was a solid and memorable piece of craftsmanship. Although it took a while for “Lights” to make its jump across the pond, it did not take long for the American music industry to fall in love with the Brit beauty.
In support of her album, Goulding toured with Passion Pit and made various music festivals appearances where her electric performances garnered a larger following for her music. In 2011, Goulding traveled to the U.S. and performed at various festivals such as Lollapalooza and Coachella.
Goulding’s defining moment was being asked to perform at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal reception in May of 2011. Since the wedding was an international media sensation, Goulding received even more attention for her attachment to the event.
In April of 2012, Goulding confirmed that she would be releasing her second studio album in October of that year. The official album title was announced to be “Halcyon” in July and that the album’s first single would be “Anything Could Happen” was announced the following month in August.
The first single from the album “Anything Could Happen” shows a more experimental side of Goulding. The song begins with a repetitive melee of high soprano vocals that have been mixed to create a rhythm that ends up reflecting the beating background instrumentation that sweeps throughout the entire track. The song was a unique choice for the record’s first single because it’s such a unique track. But although it’s a strange mixture of instrumentation and vocals, the ending sequence is oddly melodious. Somehow Goulding makes the elements of the song work and it presents a telling glimpse of what to expect for her sophomore project.
“Don’t Say A Word” kicks off the album in a uniquely Goulding-esque manner. The song starts with Goulding’s haunting vocals a cappella. As she croons in her breathy vibrato, it subtly builds and is joined by backing instrumentation. When the song breaks, a heavy drumbeat takes over and combines flawlessly with her vocals. The upbeat, chant-like track then switches into a more synth-pop rhythm and returns full circle by colliding into the drumbeat. It’s a catchy track that reminds listeners of Goulding’s knack for creating catchy dance-able tunes.
A song that is toward the end of the album, “Atlantis,” is a beautiful example of Goulding’s vocal capabilities. The track begins with Goulding singing in an extraordinarily high soprano range that is delicate yet captivating. Her vocals are the strongest part of the track and are the main focus throughout. The chorus of the song changes the whole tone, yet her high-pitched vocals are still woven throughout the track. The song is one of the most unique on the album and really reveals Goulding’s talent.
The album as a whole incorporates subtle dubstep influences, partially due to Goulding’s relationship with Skrillex — a prominent dubstep DJ in the music industry. Although those dubstep influences are common themes in her music, Goulding’s music doesn’t entirely focus on that genre. She alternates between many different genres, but maintains one constant throughout most of the tracks on her album — a recurring drumbeat that sets the pace for the individual track.
Goulding’s album is quite different from the material that solidified her position in the music industry, but the array of sounds and experimentation featured throughout the record creates a ridiculously beautiful and unique album that proves Goulding is an innovative musician.
