Single Review: Ellie Goulding – ‘Beating Heart’
2 min read
Ellie Goulding returns to our ears with new single Beating heart, which has recently appeared on the movie soundtrack for the latest Hunger Games wannabe, Divergent. Being divergent is something that Ellie can do well, and it’s why she’s got so far in her career. No one can deny that Goulding’s vocals can be simply breathtaking, and anyone that’s seen her live knows that she puts her heart and her soul into the performance, but Beating Heart just seems to be lacking in something.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s an effort that a lesser artist would be proud of, but these days I think we expect a bit more from Ellie; compare this to previous hits of hers such as Starry Eyed or the recent classic Burn, and you’ll see what I mean – it just doesn’t really catch your attention.
It does have some redeeming features however; clever beats and synths sitting in the background play around menacingly as the build up comes in from all directions, but unfortunately it then proceeds to fall apart with an instantly forgettable chorus. Ellie also seems to lose her way a bit with the lyrics. They start off decent with some nice wordplay about stepping to leave “to the departure lounge of disbelief”, but this quickly falls into blandness and repetitiveness.
What can usually save her though is her voice. It’s good as always here but unfortunately nothing special by her standards – she just seems a bit lost. To make a good track you’ve got to love what you’re producing and I don’t think enough love has gone into this song. This is unfortunate as when Ellie’s on form, there are few out there who can rival her vocally and musically.
