Ellie Goulding - Higher Than Heaven

by Nick Dent-Robinson

published: 26 / 4 / 2023

Label: Polydor
Format: CD

Upbeat and energetic electronica for the dance floor on the latesr album from Ellie Goulding

Review

Back in 2010, when Ellie Goulding first broke through, she had a clear-cut identity - the girl next door who mixed folk-style melodies with powerful electronics. Over the next few years she broke away from this simple formula with more pop-orientated sounds on 2015's ‘Delirium’ album before delivering a mix of R & B, tender ballads with introspective interludes on 2020's ‘Brightest Blue’. But now, with her newly released album, ‘Higher Than Heaven’, Goulding has gone right back to basics - which really suits her! Now 36, the singer started work on this latest record when she was pregnant with her son Arthur - who is now nearly two. And the prospect of motherhood apparently unleashed a sense of unbridled joy resulting in a collection of very happy dance tracks put together with the help of hit-makers including top American producer Greg Kurstin and California-based songwriter Julia Michaels. “My body ablaze from this heat we're creating tonight” Goulding sings on the title track – a celebration of joyous club culture with high-pitched vocal lines, reminiscent of her excellent debut album, ‘Lights’. On ‘Like A Saviour’ she adds “Electric feelings keep me dreaming”, whilst the pillow-soft ‘Midnight Dreams’ is pitched somewhere between Miley Cyrus's ‘Midnight Sky” and Dua Lipa's “Don't Start Now” Throughout, ‘Higher Than Heaven’ is an album of heady escape rather than lyrical enlightenment - and there are few glimpses of Ellie's life behind the scenes. Although, on the disco-pop ‘Cure For Lov’” she does speak of “scars in my mind from the ones left behind” - but, in keeping with the new album's carefree spirit, she goes on to recommend a night of dancing as an antidote to romantic woes! The album ends with the closer ‘How Long; which is a more gentle, mellow-reggae style song - and a perfect way to wind down from all the energetic tracks that have gone before. Ellie Goulding seems completely in her element throughout ‘Higher Than Heaven’ - on top form and a joy to listen to!

Track Listing:-

1 Midnight Dreams
2 Cure For Love
3 By The End Of The Night
4 Like A Saviour
5 Love Goes On
6 Easy Lover
7 Higher Than Heaven
8 Let It Die
9 Waiting For It
10 Just For You
11 How Long