Ellie Goulding's new album is one to be experienced rather than merely heard. With a bit of drum and bass, a touch of techno, a little bit of house and a flirtation with dubstep rhythms, it’s a full-on roster of proper pop tunes.
It’s not the kind of album to enjoy on vinyl with a nice glass of red; Delirium is to be lived, like a soundtrack to your Saturday night. "Army" is like queuing up for a nightclub, a solid, powerful number, amassing strength of feeling and clubbing compadres before strolling to the bar, taking in the lyrics, basking in the song’s bassy beat. "Outside" is like a warm-up for some serious shapes to be thrown to anthems "On My Mind" and "Something in the Way You Move" in all their synthy, electro-pop glory with echoes of pure Nineties rave. "Lost and Found" is reminiscent of hordes of poncho-clad revellers bouncing in the mud at that last summer festival. Power on through the techno and house vibes of "We Can't Move to This" and "Devotion", then comes "Holding On For Life" – the sweat is streaming but you can keep dancing to this euphoric disco power ballad.
Goulding retains her distinctive style of cut-glass vocals, unique breathy sound, an extensive range and just the right (slight) amount of weird to keep her ahead of the curve. She has fully ditched the folk hues and ethereality of previous albums for this nu-nostalgia-pop – to the detriment of her individuality perhaps, but you'll be throwing shapes to the next track before you can finish the thought process, so who really cares? There is every kind of love song on these 22 tracks, but it doesn’t really matter what they’re about. Rather it's how they make you feel or, in this case, move.
