To be quite honest, electronic music can get a little old.

In recent years the newly popular dubstep and its heavy bass and video-game sound qualities have graced the music scene. It’s great for getting unnecessarily hyped up, but the average person just doesn’t have that much energy.

Fortunately, Ellie Goulding offers a nice alternative in her sophomore album, “Halcyon.” The British singer’s airy, delicate voice, along with beautifully composed songs, spins a new take on the genre.

The British singer was first introduced to electronic music while attending the University of Kent in the United Kingdom where she quickly found that her voice fit perfectly into energized electronic tracks. She took a break from school and signed to Polydor Records in 2009. Not long after, she released her debut album, “Lights,” which spawned a hit title track and helped launch Goulding’s career.

Over the next couple of years she became the talk of the town in London and was nominated for Best British Female and Best British Breakthrough Act at the 2011 BRIT awards. It wasn’t until “Lights” recently hit American airways and radio stations that her popularity began to grow in the States. Now, fans are asking for more.

It’s refreshing that Americans are giving Goulding a chance, because unlike many pop stars in history, she can actually sing. Her voice has a light and breathy tone that always sounds like she’s whispering sweet nothings in listeners’ ears, even through all the electro-pop madness. In “Figure 8,” she sings about chasing after love in a wonderfully heartfelt track.

The song starts off strong and subdued as Goulding helps build up to the dubstep-filled chorus by effortlessly belting out the lyrics. Amid the organized yet chaotic sounds, listeners can still hear the controlled tone in Goulding’s voice and raw emotion behind the lyrics, “You promised forever and a day, and then you take it all away.”

And Goulding can do just fine all by herself. On “Dead in the Water,” she proves that she doesn’t need a powerful track to carry her. Most of the song has very minimal production and builds into a beautiful orchestral backing midway through. It’s the perfect stage for Goulding to show off a sound that is gentle and precise. Her voice is delicate and childlike as she slowly approaches each phrase, as if considering them first. Finally, hearing her murder the upper register with a plethora of falsetto runs is probably something fans could listen to every day without getting bored.

Goulding later shows even more versatility in “Only You.” The song is an up-tempo pop track with a bit of electronic accents midway through, but is largely driven by the heavy drumbeat and hand claps throughout. The song’s upbeat quality caters more to the dance pop sound, and that booming beat seems to show a hip-hop influence. The song sends out cool, soulful vibes with interesting vocal runs that sound slightly neurotic in between. Goulding’s voice sounds smooth and expressive, but since she sings in her middle register, it doesn’t really hit the sweet spots of her voice.

Ellie Goulding is more than just an electronic singer or a featured voice on a Calvin Harris track, and “Halcyon” proves just that. Although fans may come for the catchy tunes and danceable beats, they’ll stay for her talent.

Published on October 16, 2012 at 12:35 am

Contact Ibet: ieinyang@syr.edu