"Lights" was a sleeper hit for Ellie Goulding. It was just one of those songs that needed to be played repeatedly in order to fully appreciate it. The same principle works for Goulding's sophomore album "Halcyon". It is a very appropriate title, since its meaning of calm and serenity perfectly describes this set as a whole. Starting with the warped voices and eerie production of "Don't say a word", Ellie's musical direction is far darker than that of her debut album "Lights". And while her vocals stretch far beyond her range, this strain comes across as endearing rather than irritating. Each song is packed with emotion, so there is no filler here. Each song was crafted perfectly to fit Goulding's musical and artistic vision. From the fantastic anguish of "My Blood" to the indie paradise of "Figure 8", she proves a song can be both meaningful and catchy at the same time. She does not need any auto-tune or drum-like synthesizers to make a track superior to the rest of the pop and indie pack. She sets herself far above those peers by finding the perfect balance of electronica and raw vocals. And the synths, the beating drums, and simple lyrical content only add to the brilliance of this album. While it is not quite indie, rock, or even pop, it's rather a happy medium between those three. Just like her smash single, Ellie Goulding shines throughout each of "Halcyon"'s 14 tracks, because while the producers provide interesting and chilling music, the strength of this album comes down to Goulding herself, and the sentiments she provides. While "Halcyon" is not a perfect album, mainly due to its redundant nature and its jilted momentum, its far more mature, and quite frankly better, than any other album released in 2012. Besides the heart-break anthems of Adele, and the equally compelling rock of Florence + The Machine, Ellie Goulding is best Brit to grace the mainstream of the US in a very, very long time. "Halcyon" is not quite as sleek as "Lights", but it's still a beautifully charming effort all the same.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Don't Say a Word 2. My Blood 3. Anything Can Happen
4. Only You 5. Halcyon 6. Figure 8 7. Joy
8. Holding On 9. Explosions 10. I Know You Care
11. Atlantis 12. Dead in the Water
Bonus Tracks: 13. I Need Your Love 14. Lights
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