The British pop star has trailed her fifth record as her least “personal yet”. It’s all the better for it
In an era when most pop stars wax lyrical about the soul-stirring honesty of their songwriting, there’s something refreshing about Ellie Goulding’s unusual way of talking about ‘Higher Than Heaven’ . “It’s the least personal album [I’ve made],” she said recently, “but I think it’s the best album because I got to explore other things about myself. I really, really I enjoy writing, really enjoy being a singer.”
To which, the most appropriate response is probably ‘fair enough’. Thirteen years after launching her career by winning a Brits Critics’ Choice Award, Goulding knows how to make sleek and stylish pop bangers that will stick in your head. Her trance-flavored collaboration ‘Miracle’ with Calvin Harris is currently challenging for the UK number one spot. Somewhat surprisingly, it doesn’t even appear here as a bonus track.
None of the five tracks from ‘Higher Than Heaven’ that Goulding has already shared have performed well on the charts. However, this is not a reflection of her quality, perhaps, compared to the uphill struggle faced by every female pop artist in her mid-thirties; At this point, the inherent sexism and ageism of the music industry coalesce to become a limiting factor. Sure enough, the album’s lead single “Easy Lover,” co-written with the fabulous Julia Michaels, is every bit as catchy as Goulding smashes like 2012’s “Anything Can Happen” and 2015’s “On My Mind.” .
But whether it delivers a chart hit or not, Goulding’s fifth album still shimmers with the confidence of a quintessential professional. “By the End of the Night” veers into Dua Lipa’s nu-disco territory with the obligatory “Blinding Lights”-style ’80s banger and “Let It Die.” They’re both bops, but much of ‘Higher Than Heaven’ is an exercise in refining Goulding’s kinetic electropop sound rather than Craven trend-chasing. ‘Cure for Love’, ‘Midnight Dreams’ and ‘Like a Savior’ have the irresistible starburst choruses she’s built her career on.
In fact, only a few bland songs are a let down. In 2023, no pop fan needs to hear about “silly love” or a heart that “beats like a drum” from a singer. Thankfully, Goulding comes up with some ear-wrenching lines, especially on “Let It Die,” a thought-provoking snapshot of a toxic relationship. She sings, “I give too much, you suck the life out of me.” “I fill my cup for you to drink in someone else’s”. Goulding is equally compelling on ‘Waiting for It’ when she sings matter-of-factly: “we can fuck the world”.
Still, it’s a minor flaw rather than a real Achilles heel. ‘Higher Than Heaven’ may not be strictly personal, but it certainly sounds like an album crafted with no small amount of care, skill and flair.
Details
- Release date: April 7, 2023
- Record label: Polydor
