I admit I’ve never really seen the point of Ellie Goulding as a pop star. What is it that identifies her? What aspect defines her music? What sets her apart from the pack? Since I believe femme-led pop music is the defining pop of this century so far, surely I should be onside? My contrarian side honestly willed her fifth album to persuade. But it does not. It is, instead, everything about femme-centric 21st century pop that its critics deride. It is vapid, lacking character and substance.
You may suggest that, as someone who’s clearly not a fan of Goulding, I’m not the ideal to review this, and it’s true I find her curious, airy child-woman singing voice grating. But my track record speaks for itself: in recent times I’ve written positive reviews of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Reef and many more who I vociferously couldn't stand. The music must be allowed to speak for itself.
But Higher Than Heaven sounds like an A&R person suggested, “Let’s pitch the sound at a sweet spot midway between Beyoncé’s Renaissance and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia.” Which is to say, it seems to want to combine the former’s tribute to classic house and dance music with the latter’s shiny disco-pop update. But the lyrics are banal, teen love stuff, generic and forgettable, as is the way they’re stapled to passably funky electronic grooves. Check out “Cure For Love”, for instance, a throbbing backing track that could turn into something interesting but never does, alongside lines such as “Put myself on the line just so that they’re feeling less insecure, won’t do it no more” etc).
Things pick up slightly towards the end; “Let It Die” has a solid tune and techno-pop punch, grabbing the ears and feet, while the slow, sexy, pared back stylings of “Waiting For It” make a change from the general mundaneness (“Original sin, only linen and liquor… we can fuck the world away”!). But these are, unfortunately, not enough to raise overall interest levels.
Below: Watch a video for "By the End of the Night" by Ellie Goulding, featuring performance footage live at Koko
