A Magical Album
Two-time Grammy winner Imogen Heap certainly has a unique style that makes her music especially evocative and atmospheric. Flighty keyboard trills and swirling ambient sounds contribute to the kind of tunes that make the perfect soundtrack to any filmic moment. ‘Ellipse’ doesn’t attempt to alter Heap’s characteristic style, but with one of the largest internet fanbases out there, why would it want to? Instead this album offers up plenty of pretty tunes that play with your emotions and swill with fun and light-hearted cheer.
There are some gorgeous tunes that show off Heap’s talent for painting beautiful aural scenes that feel expansive but still manage to focus on intimate details. ‘Little Bird’ is a delight on the ears with its rippling layers of sound and delicate, fluttering melody. Heap creates her usual abundance of songs with an epic feel such as ‘2-1’ and ‘Tidal’ which reach driven climaxes. On the other hand there are plenty of more relaxed numbers like ‘Bad Body Double’, these probably turn a few people off, but they only take up a few minutes of the album and at least make the more striking tunes all the more exciting.
Heap proves that she’s not only the master of instrumental soundscapes, but can also create jaunty rhythms that make you feel like dancing. ‘Earth’ feels like a poppy and slightly hippy number with a very moral message, “You’ve only what you give back”. The visceral beat really gets caught in your head, making the tune a clear winner. ‘Aha!’ is fabulous because of its more minimalist instrumentation and racing pace that allows a splendid chorus to hit the listener out of nowhere. It’s an instantly memorable and very catchy number that will speed through your mind for hours after listening.
‘Ellipse’ is an enjoyable album that shows off the reason why Imogen Heap is such an acclaimed and well-loved artist, if you’re a fan be prepared to fall in love with her all over again.