Ellie Goulding - Halycon

I fell in love with Ellie's ethereal vocals and amazing pop sensibilities way back when I heard "Starry Eyed" on the Chris Moyles show in 2010 and have been a huge fan ever since.  Both versions of her debut album, Lights and Bright Lights have a place in my music library so when I found out Halcyon was coming, I was very pleased.  After listening to it, I am able to say that this year has another great album to add to the best of the year.  She has taken chances on some of the tracks and has expanded her repertoire to include more experimental sounds like "Only You" or "Figure 8".  There are tracks that pair her with heavy drum and bass style beats and never once doe she get lost.  She commands attention and the producers do an amazing job of showcasing that.  "Halcyon", "My Blood", "Joy" are all very Ellie type tracks and do not disappoint.  "Explosions" is brilliant.  The choral style backing vocals and the strings in conjunction with her amazing voice create this atmospheric track that is so compelling it almost takes your breath.

I am a huge fan of what she has to offer and she has a knack of getting me to where I need to go.  The people she works with to craft this amazing music know how to make her shine.  Music is a very important part of my life and when you are able to have music like this as part of your life, it makes things better.  I think there is something very powerful in the quietness and stillness that Ellie can harness but at the same time, she has a subtle power that you can't deny.

Need Both Hands and a Map

I have dived head first into a very deep pool of pop music and I am finding it difficult to determine where to start. I have a laundry list of albums and artists and they are all good so bear with me while I sort through it all to weed out the good from the great and the mediocre from the crap. I think because I'm playing catch up with the rest of the global music community it is very difficult to keep up. I am trying to listen to new releases so that I am current but I also am trying to get with what I've missed.

Over the next little while, I will talk about Swedish Pop and more Brit pop and Australian pop in the form of the Amy Meredith Band. I know they are not the only representatives from the land down under but they are hot right now in my corner of the world so I'll talk about them.