Manchester band, Delphic, return with 'Baiya', the first song to début from their second album, Collections.
'Baiya' is reminiscent of the electro-pop vein of the singles taken from their previous 2009 album, Acolyte, albeit perhaps more chart friendly, with synths flowing as opposed to being used for choppy rhythms a la 'Doubt' and 'Halcyon', incorporating oriental strings around the refrain 'All hell is breaking loose' and walking the fine line between modern and comfortably retro. It is also not the euphorically hectic maelstrom of noise that was previously released song, 'Good Life' (I had no idea that this song existed until today!)
That said, I'm so glad to see/hear of Delphic again! I loved Acolyte and will most likely love Collections when it's released.
Again, not so rapid! Apologies, apologies! It's my own fault, recently I've just been trying to keep on top of reading and seeing family and friends and the boyf and generally pondering the point of my own existence to really commit to on here, or writing and drawing or anything of purpose in general.
I know, I know, by my own admission, my excuses are getting old, and now I appear to be rambling, but a combination of all of these little things led me to not keeping up to date with music in general, procrastination for the nation!
(Deeeeep breath!) To la review!
Ellie Goulding's woken up!
Her second album, Halcyon, far surpasses both her début and extended editions (Lights and Bright Lights - old old review!) which, similarly to Marina and the Diamonds' The Family Jewels and Electra Heart, slips into an unsatisfying mid-tempo slumber a third in. Halcyon, however, is slathered in synths, and as much as Goulding denies boyfriend, Skrillex's influence on her work, it can't be denied, as this is an oddly workable combination of folk-pop and commercial dubstep.
Luckily, there are many songs superior to the aggravatingly repetitive 'Anything Can Happen', and why she chose that as the lead single, I'll never know. 'Figure 8' for example, is far superior and immediate and would sound huge live. That said, this entire album is far more upbeat and memorable; the gems are surprisingly again hidden on the deluxe release, namely 'Ritual', 'In My City' and 'Without Your Love' all being brilliant additions.
A few collaborations are snuck in here too, the Calvin Harris song 'I Believe Your Love', as well as the teaser track that Goulding released a few months back, 'Hanging On' (feat. Tinie Tempah (review here!), is also on here, as well as an alternate, albeit un-extended version of the track minus his cliché rap efforts.
Forgetting those, it is worth a second to state that Halcyon appears a far more mature and experimental effort than the first; at times it is dark and haunting in sound ('Don't Say A Word'), whilst lyrically it seems less naive, but always always with pop sentiments close at heart. It's say to say that Halcyon was the surprise of my week; a die hard fan of Goulding's first album, I doubted that it's successor would live up to the recent hype surrounding Goulding, but it did, and for that I'm glad!
Slightly late on the uptake (again!), this one managed to slip me by! As an Ellie Goulding fan, I'm a tad a shamed to say that I had absolutely no idea that she had a new song/single out.
'Hanging On', a cover of a song by Active Child, enters with a harp and Goulding's ethereal tones, before becoming slightly more electronic, reminding me somewhat of Patrick Wolf's signiature delicate blend of folk and synth, until a deep underlying bass enters and turns the gentle atmosphere on its head. This is especially reinforced by the time Tinie Tempah's contribution comes around. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a person who pans rap/hip hop/pop rap 100% of the time, but there's something predictable about rapper features, it's old game, and this song would have been perfect without his efforts. On the opposite note, the song is at its most ominous during Tinie Tempah's speak/rap, weaving into Goulding's voice which is, as always, is in tip top beautiful condition.
The song, talking about a painful deterioration of a relationship, is also clearly musically influenced by the dubstep sounds of her current boyfriend, Skrillex, whose signiature sound can be heard at times. This could easily have been quite a disaster, but with this fresher new electronic path, I really can't wait for Goulding's album to come out. Alongside fellow Brit and newcomer, Charli XCX, I really feel that she will be defining a female indie/electronic sound that has the potential to cross over to the charts.
