Music profile/
album
review
Ok so I heard the single ‘figure 8’ a few months
ago...little did I know however that this would be one of the least good songs
on her new album halcyon. I’ve always
been a wee bit of a fan of ellie goulding acoustics
of lights and starry eyed, he voice has always intrigued me because it is
so soft and youthful but yet so magical and unique. This new album however has
really; really opened my eyes to her music, her thoughts, ideas and sound and
I’ve become even more of an ellie fan than I was before!
Ellie goulding- halcyon album
Date
of release: October 5th
2012 (day before my birthday! Surprise, surprise!) Can’t believe it’s taken me
till January/ February to discover how amaze-balls this album is
Out
of ten: I would give it a....8/10 (yes it is that
good)
Three
top favourite songs in detail:
Figure
8:
An obvious track I know but
it’s just amazing and I can tell a lot of effort went into this song. I think
of lots of dramatic elements and emotions soft and harsh when listening to this
song, the colour red, flashes of white paint, ballerinas, drums and glass
shattering and of course cold falling rain. It has the most ‘commercial’ sound
I would definitely say which is probably why she decided to release it first
and a slight dub-step undertone, not my typical taste but I think ellie does a
very good job. I feel that a contrasting theme of vengeance and weakness run
through this song.
·
My
blood:
This song in my eyes has the
most different, most indie or acoustic feel in the album. There is
this...folksy rock undertone to some parts of it and reminds me subtly of
Florence. I love this song because it uses the most natural music, a piano,
drums and vocal melodies which make it so vibrant and alive with a strong acoustic
guitar to frame the whole song. This song has some sad element to it, it
reminds me of a love which was never returned. When hearing this song I think
of an isolated beach but I also think of fireworks! It really ranges in its
effects and musical tones. The lyrics which speak to me most are:
‘ And God knows I'm not dying but I bleed now
And God knows it's the only way to heal now
With all the blood I lost with you
It drowns the love I thought I knew’
·
The
‘Ending’:
This is actually a bonus track
on the album so it took me quite a while to actually discover it. I think the
title the ‘ending’ actually defines this song a lot; it has a long musical
intro with ellie repeating the lines ‘if you lock me out’, after about 2
minutes into the song drops a heavy
electro base line. The song is simple, but heavy and effective in its basic,
but hard-hitting lyrics. It provides an essence of something being finished or
reflected upon because of the songs composition and sense of being an
afterthought. The lyrics ‘if you lock me out’ really resonated in me, when I
close my eyes and hear this song I imagine myself in the evening alone
walking in heavy rain outside a dark old
architectural building like a church or something .
Album
inspiration: (in my own opinion)
There
is a source that says that when ellie was a teenager she was a ‘rebel’ (hard to
imagine I know) who: ''I guess I was
made out to be like a really good role model Sensible, girly, flowery and
blonde - but that wasn't me. I've always been an absolute rebel. When I was in
my teen years I had piercings and wore all black. I smoked and drank and did
what all my mates did around me. I was never a 'sensible one'.
This album her new one was a reflection of
that adolescent time in her life ''And my lyrics have always been dark. It's
just that [with new album 'Halcyon'], the music is rawer around the edges and
varies from song to song.''
I think that explains why I relate to this
album so much, the tunes and compositions of the songs define the melodies of
my own life, emotions, thoughts, anxieties and fears.
I
would recommend this album to...
This album on the surface sounds like some
dark, at times eerie and creative piece of art work, but it has some very
depressing, self reflective and poisonous tones to it. It has definitely left a
strong impression on me. When I need to be reminded of myself and my reality I
always listen to people like Florence and the machine and ellie goulding. The
music they make always illustrate the thought or mind state I’m in. I would
recommend this to people who think a similar way about life, but also if you
like heavy base toned music, like electro music! And indie music. Anything
weird and different I guess
