CD: Ellipse
Artist: Imogen Heap
Label: Megaphonic



Reviewed by Brian Golightly,
Host of Sunday Breakfast and Transition

Listen to samples from Ellipse:

First Train Home
Wait it Out
Between the Sheets

Six years after her breakthrough single "Hide and Seek" and album Speak Your Mind, singer, multi-instrumentalist and sound explorer Imogen Heap has released the delightful Ellipse. Found sounds, unexpected turns in the course of musical events, and the playful spirit of the whole venture are testament to how difficult it is to spoil a true eccentric... even with success. Tuneful, and pulsing with shoals of electro-acoustic life, the territory resembles Heap's earlier work. Warm, chunky analog synth sequences and piano share the eco-system with a myriad of fascinating little sounds. Snare drum brushes waving in the air next to a microphone and a sample from Buddha Machine 2.0 (I own version 1.0 of this fascinating portable sound sculpture!), both found on the track "Between the Sheets", are two of my favourites. Layers of meaning supported by carefully crafted layers of sound balance an overall impression of naïve joy. Standout songs like "First Train Home" and "Wait It Out" are serious and sincere: sweet, direct, and yet… elliptical.

Interesting to note: The deluxe version on disc and iTunes includes instrumental versions of all thirteen tracks, which serve not only to illustrate how musically strong the album is, but how wonderful the singing and lyrics are, as well.

The evolution of this collection of music has been well-documented by Imogen Heap in various media on the internet. The curious may find the links on her homepage at imogenheap.com. For the rest of us, the music found on Ellipse will surely suffice. For more on the Buddha Machine visit fm3buddhamachine.com.