Halcyon
Ellie Goulding
Polydor
If the upbeat, essentially hypnotic song “Lights” by English artist Ellie Goulding hasn’t made its way through your headphones, speakers or car radio in the past year, you have been deprived of some genuinely good music. And even if you are one of these select few individuals, you’ve still got a pretty good shot at stumbling over the song – after two years since her 2010 debut album, Lights, Goulding’s first record-breaking hit isn’t fading out anytime soon.
Fans need not worry if and when that time comes, as Goulding’s recent release, Halcyon is reminiscent of the buoyant, eccentric rhythm of Lights, while also showcasing her broad talent and deep understanding of emotion-linked music.
Halcyon, meaning “tranquil” or “untroubled,” is a bit of an oxymoron when paired with the songs it contains as it ironically delivers Goulding’s message — that her second album is clouded with angst, emotion and a fervid amount of distress. In fact, there is little peace or serenity implied within the lyrics and rhythm of Goulding’s album which scream, chants, yells and points to a tormented, angst-ridden musician.
The album begins with an eerie reverie entitled “Don’t Say a Word” that is subtly stunning and kindred to the powerful ballads of fellow English singer Adele or the astounding percussion of Florence and the Machine’s inimitable sound. While pop-like in nature, Goulding’s music creates a league of its own, using her voice as an instrument of vast depth to transcend its electronic feel.
This electronic feel leaves one to weigh the amount of contribution Skrillex, Goulding’s romantic partner, gave to the album.
“Joy” and “Anything Could Happen” propel forward this notion of anguish with their sombre, yet commanding lyrics, contradicted by an echo of rhythmic beats, leaving the listener with an interesting combination to consider.
Thankfully the anguish has a silver lining, however small it may be. If it wasn’t for the titular song “Halcyon,” the collection in its entirety would be enough for any listener to question their internal happiness and underlying purpose. With a repetitive rhyme such as, “It’s gonna be better/It’s gonna be better” in “Anything Could Happen,” the album’s third track, “Halcyon” acts as a much-needed presence in Goulding’s less-than-exultant ambience.
Perhaps that’s not a bad thing though.
Goulding’s shift certainly represents growth as an artist and divergence from the beaten pop path, which often replaces emotion with catchy phrases, simulated rhythm and apathetic lyrics. And there’s certainly no mistaking Goulding’s unique style of trance-like repetition and high, well-delivered pitch, as this new release explores an innovative complexity of sentiment that suits Goulding’s vocal capabilities and rising performance experience.
And it is these vocals that set Goulding a part from other performers as she manipulates her sound into a cosmic amount of musical accomplishment: whatever emotion she is representing is delivered on the tails of a calm-before-the-storm feeling that lingers and echoes amidst the ending of each song.
As explained before, these songs are definite in their relation to Goulding’s debuting style of pop-meets-electric-meets-hypnotic. However, there isn’t one on the album that can be pinpointed as an automatic success.
That could also work to Goulding’s favour, however, as her first global hit “Lights” took a couple years to obtain its now-steady popularity. Regardless of inevitable time gaps between release and paramount popularity, Goulding’s effortless talent and prevailing vocals will indubitably have fans giving the album a taste, at the very least.
