A party isn’t complete without the DJ playing a souped-up dubstep remix of “Lights” by Ellie Goulding. But, on Oct. 9, Goulding’s sophomore album “Halcyon” hits stores, exposing us to some new sounds.
In Goulding’s “Lights” video, released in January 2011, she was dressed in a white button-up with a black collar, peroxide blonde hair, banging on a drum set while multiple colored lights sparkled around her.
Since the release of “Lights,” Goulding won various awards and climbed charts in the UK, but it took about a year after the release of “Lights” for it to hit the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 100 charts in the U.S., according to a Billboard article. Though “Lights” and “Starry Eyed” were particularly dancy-pop tracks, Goulding’s other songs on her debut album, like “Guns and Horses” and “The Writer” are much slower and showcase her clever lyrics.
Released about a year after her successful first album, Goulding’s “Halcyon” sounds more mature, like a culmination of what she learned in the past as an artist and new collaborations with a darker sound.
The first single released from “Halcyon,” along with an artistically creative official music video, is “Anything Could Happen.” The track featured her usual style of soprano vocals, electronic sounds and a catchy, if not too repetitive, chorus. The music video features her in pale pink hair, singing on a beach, dressed in a long flowing silk-like robe.
With 19 total tracks on “Halcyon” there’s a lot for fans to discover about Goulding’s more mature style. A good example is the second single track, “Explosions.” The subject matter for the song is a lot darker and more about pain and heartbreak.
Another track on the record that is more party-worthy, but still about hardships of love is “Hanging On,” which was released for free on SoundCloud earlier this summer and features British rapper Tinie Tempah.
But, the best track on “Halcyon” might actually be by Calvin Harris. Recorded for the Scottish DJ’s upcoming album “18 months,” the song “I Need Your Love” features Goulding and is included in her album. The song is the perfect balance of Goulding’s sweet vocals, truthful lyrics, and Harris’ expert mixing. The chime sounds in the background of the track keep it very Goulding-esque. With Harris’ track record including mega hits like Rihanna’s “We Found Love,” “I Need Your Love” has potential of becoming a great hit.
Grade: B+
To email reporter: kfg5033@psu.edu
