Halcyon - Ellie Goulding
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Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 85 Ratings

  • Summary: The second release for the British pop singer was produced by Jim Eliot.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 17
  2. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. 83
    Halcyon could have gone for easy crossovers. But the album is slightly too weird for that--and that's what makes it good.
  2. 80
    Her second album, however, belatedly delivers on all Goulding's latent promise.
  3. Oct 22, 2012
    80
    Halcyon casts a formidable spell. [Nov 2012, p.96]
  4. Oct 22, 2012
    60
    There is improvement in the songwriting....But halfway through you might well weary at the album's unrelenting, full-bodied tone. [Nov 2012, p.91]

See all 17 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 17
  2. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. 10
    I know people throw out 10's left and right, but there are probably only two other albums I've heard in my life I would rate a 10. Halcyon is really amazing. Every single song sounds of QUALITY! You can tell she invested a lot of time on each track to make sure they are all perfect. It's a lot more mature than her first album and a million times better. The main track list is a little more low tempo than the bonus tracks, so if you want the upbeat stuff, definitely get the deluxe version.

    Best Pop Album of 2012 and one of the best records period. It blows everything in recent memory away IMO.

    Favorite Track - My Blood
    Favorite Bonus Track - The End
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  2. 8
    Great sophomore album from Ellie Goulding, who is another talented singer coming from UK. She has a great voice and her album has this weird 'electropop' vibe. The version that I bought has the single 'Lights' in it, one of her best singles. Expand
  3. A Few Good Songs... But Sadly More Bad Than Good! I Feel Like Ellie Gould Do Alot Better! But Still Not A Bad Album...
  4. When you have a natural vocal talent, like Ellie Goulding does, it needs to be harvested correctly.
    This is where Goulding's second album Hal
    cyon falls short. Over-produced on the majority of tracks, with needless sampling and vocal effects. The irony is that an 'effect' in terms of music production is supposed to enhance the dynamic range, stereo field, or audio aspects of a signal, and the vocals on Halcyon have in fact been completely ruined by over-production.

    There are standout tracks, Explosions, Halcyon and JOY where Goulding's stunning vocals can be truly appreciated, however there are tracks such as Only You, Hanging On, and the first track Don't Say A Word which completely wreck the mood, and have moments which just completely bewilder me.

    Being a big fan of her debut album Lights, this was a massive dissapointment for me to listen to, and it makes me concerned with the direction that Goulding is going in.

    Blame Skrillex!
    Expand

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