Music > Album Reviews

Ellie Goulding // Lights

15/05/13

Perhaps it’s all the media surrounding the Winter Olympics last month, or maybe it’s my longing for Celebrity Death Match to return, but I can’t help approaching this album like a judge in a contest between recent heavyweight female musical contenders. In one corner, the redheaded reign of last year, La Roux - all Flock of Seagulls and Mum-off-of-The-Bill, who let fly a killer Dubstep jab when the time was right, tag-teaming with Blackpool’s greatest export since Kiss Me Quick hats, Little Boots against this year’s hopeful, Ellie Goulding. She’s already been bestowed the Sound of 2010 belt, but let’s look at her credentials. Seeing her first on an episode with Jools, instead of using epaulettes to wow her crowd, she actually held a guitar on one and banged a drum on the other song. Not so much a wow factor – there’s a legion of musically trained ladies out there, just take Marina and the Piano. But her voice is her special combat move; the introversion with occasional bursts of choral confidence is her calling card and works well on this album of sure-fire hits. Standouts are the already championed ‘Under the Sheets’ and ‘Starry Eyed’, but the understanding of what makes a good pop song runs throughout.

7/10 Tiny Dancer