Why is this my first pick?

For the first review on my blog, I wanted to review an artist work that easily brings an image into my mind, along with a burst of emotion. Ellie Goulding is amazing at doing this with each album! Brightest Blue is the latest in her artistic pursuits and she delivers-as usual. While the album may not be my personal favorite in her discophary, it is a well-balanced album with no duds and several notable tracks.

Vinyl 1 \ Side A (The Album)

The album begins with the first of many haunting productions, pulling you in with an odd pitched man’s voice just before she does the first verse in a talking-singing manner. It creates a bit of a calm feeling, while giving a beautiful rapping melody before going into even more beautiful higher notes in the pre-chours. After the a lovely chorus the odd voice from the intro of the song comes back in and the song structure repeats itself. The bridge serves the feature of the song well. While the voice of the feature took some getting used to, it did work to stop from the song being a repetitive. After that the song gets more urban with a more drastic production change and lyrics from Ellie like “F*** with me you start a War”.

Track #3, How Deep is Too Deep, would be my absolute favorite on the album. It was a major missed opporutity as a single! The vocal driven start of the song along with its inventive production style simply cannot be ignored. It is loaded with a chorus that makes you wants to sing-rap along with her. Then after the choruses first go-around there is this amazingly unique pump of solid production and a deep inhale to signify the end of the odd turn in the stripped back song. As the song keeps going every word hits with pure intention. The explosion of production of the half point of the song (also the end) is all just so awesome. The song shows balance in production, vocals, melody, and intention perfectly.

For the rest of the tracks on this side, the album keeps flowing effortlessly with two interludes that are fantastically placed. Love I’ve Given was another single from the album for obvious reasons-its an anthem. The entire song sounds very personal to her, as may of the songs in the middle of the album seem to be. The lyrics are easily relatable and the song is a full BOP (as the kids call it). New Heights is another notable track that is gorgeously in Ellie’s wheel-house, it may just be one of the best tracks of her career.

Vinyl 1 \ Side B (The Album)

We start off this side of the record with a heart-felt stripped back track called woman. The vocals are right in Ellie’s pocket with raw emotion. It gives me the vocal tone from her second album (Halcyon) but with a more grown deeper voice. While it is a lovely track that is fully worthy of being on the album, it is one I don’t go searching for. It also has a similar issue to New Heights in the area of track legenth.

Tides gives us the punch in BPM that is needed at this point in the album. I would equate it to an updated version of some of the tracks that appeared on Halcyon (her second album) with its awkward but charming production. It does not leave much a impression but its a heck of a good time to jam to!

Wine Drunk is my second favorite interlude (along with the next track) in the album because I live for vocal effects to give a mood. I feel that she totally achives her intent with the track. Bleach is a catchy track with a vibe that just relaxes you in order to put your mind in an open state to fully digest the lyrics. You’ll want to listen for sure because she is brutally honest. We all have the ex that we would do anything to have them leave our minds.

Brightest Blue is a EPIC closer to the album! It starts out with a different sound from what we’ve heard on the album. Once the unexpected chorus hits, it is a motivating piece of work. The new territory of fast talking verses from her hit the spot, then the production of the chorus is just mind blowing. It all just serves a VIBE that you can’t ignore.

Is the album over? Yes. yes it is…. BUT

At this point the album comes to a close, but where are all the upbeat (more urban & pop) bops? Ellie has got you when side EG 0 hits. The majority of her show-stopping singles between two album cycles are compiled for your pleasure. Its a genius tactic that I wish more artist would take. She avoided the singles confusion with a clear understanding that the majority of singles are their own moods.

Vinyl 2 \ Side A (EG 0)

The tracks speak for themselves on this side B part of the album. Almost every track served as a single before the album was even announced and it was done rightfully so! Close to me was a release from October 2018, which largely predates the album release. Reasons such as that one is why putting the singles that do not quite fit the album on a separate Side B section is genius. All in all EG 0 just MAKES SENSE. She was able to get the mainstream radio play without scarifying her artistry.

She got the formula right on the 4th go around

Up until this album she hadn’t had a perfectly balanced album. Her first album was the indie (slightly commercial) pop of the time. For her second album it was mostly just depressing but gorgeous. I am not saying that as a negative because the album is in my top two from her. The third album was as she called it “a big pop experiment”. This was not a bad thing, since it too is in my top two albums, but once again it was all BIG UPBEAT POP productions. While this is something that Ellie does with no issue, it was not fully her.

Brightest Blue (both the album & EG 0) strikes the balance between the three moods of her other albums. It is slow & heartfelt at times, faster pace & danceable at others, and commercial pop at its best for the rest. I say that is a wining album from a pure ARTIST.