Imogen Heap Album: “Ellipse”

The first time I heard Imogen Heap's name was as songwriter for Way Out West's 'Mind Circus' a few years back - a melodic pop/breaks masterpiece at the time - but only discovered her all-round brilliance as an artist more recently.

Once I realised that she was also the production and engineering brains behind her own material I was even more intrigued and compelled - so quickly tracked down all I could find, gobbling up the Frou Frou album (created in tandem with the equally brilliant Guy Sigsworth - check out Alanis Morissette's 'Flavors Of Entanglement' for more of that production goodness) and 'Speak For Yourself' as soon as I could get my hands on them.

Both albums were chock-full of melodic and lyric invention coupled with detailed, layered electronic production - all of which revealed themselves further with repeated listening.

'Ellipse' is no exception. The first couple of hearings let the bigger hooks and general feel of the songs seep into your brain - one brain and 2 ears can only take so much in at once. But once you allow yourself to really get to know the material it reveals more and more layers of production and Imogen's melodies gradually untangle themselves like intricate puzzles, until eventually your head is swimming with the melodies and lyrics. And you can't wait to listen again, to learn more...

A number of online reviews have been lukewarm - and I can understand how this might be. Until you immerse yourself in the detail, the overall effect might seem middle-of-the-road or Enya-esque. But such reductions do the material an enormous disservice as there is WAY more going on in there than initially meets the ear.

Simultaneously melancholic and uplifting (that magical alchemy), this is pop - but it's the trickiest pop you're gonna hear for a while. If you're into that kinda thing :)

I love this new album by Imogen Heap (see my review of the standard edition). My mistake on release day was hastily dismissing the deluxe edition as something for completists only and buying the standard edition instead. After I listened to a few of the instrumental tracks on-line on Rhapsody, though, I quickly realized that I really was missing something by not getting the deluxe edition. Think of it this way: The vocal and instrumental versions of the songs are like pictures of a beautiful scene taken from two different angles. You hear details--interesting little touches and nuances--in the instrumental versions that you just don't pick up in the vocal versions. You get a clearer view of the arranging/orchestration side of Imogen's talents, and the instrumental versions are surprisingly fun to listen to as an alternative album that sets a mood of its own. Imogen's backing tracks are amazingly clever, varied, and rich with interesting sounds, both natural and synthesized. I ended up getting the deluxe edition, and I'm very glad I did. Imogen had good reason to release the separate disc of instrumental tracks, as you'll discover if you pick up this excellent set. One really fun way to listen to "Ellipse" is to listen to the instrumental versions first and then the vocal versions (separated by perhaps a few hours or a day or two). The effect is amazing!

One possible disadvantage of the deluxe edition is that the discs slide into fairly tight-fitting envelopes attached to the inside front and back covers of the little hardcover book containing the liner notes. If that kind of packaging bothers you (it bothers me because it tends to scratch up the discs if you take them out very often), you might want to consider storing the discs in a 2-CD jewel case instead.

I became a fan of Immi with Frou Frou's

(and then

), and when

came out it took me a long time to get into it. For whatever reason, I just wasn't feeling it. I thought Goodnight and Go was too light and I just couldn't find my way into the rest emotionally. I liked it... but that was it. But about a year after it came out... I got it. I just pushed play to try it out again and I became enthralled. It's like this whole world was whizzing past me and I almost missed it. I love SFY now. I can't imagine why I didn't right at the start. I think that is what makes something like this so hard. Music is not only a personal creation (well, when it's done well) but it's also a very personal listening experience as well.

With Ellipse, I loved it right away. Maybe because my love for SFY was so great, but also because it's just an amazing album.

I have listened to the album almost non-stop since it's release. In fact, today was the first day I actually started to listen to the lovely Anna Ternheim album

that I got shortly before Ellipse came out because Imogen would not let go of my iPhone! I'll admit I do skip two tracks on occasion - Earth and Between Sheets. It's not so much that I dislike them so much as I'm impatient to get to the track right after them at times.

I do think that Ellipse is perhaps a slightly less weighted album. Overall it just seems to have a lighter touch then SFY until the very end when 2-1/The Fire/Canvas/Half Life close out the album. And I'm not talking about lighter/heavier emotional content... it's more the style that's a bit brighter and bolder and lighter. Ellipse has a very natural progression whereas SFY tended to bounce a bit more from place to place. I think Ellipse is more reflective and therefore doesn't quite reach the highs of SFY. I don't think that's a bad thing because I think it errs on the side of being more thoughtful overall. To me, Ellipse sacrifices a little bit of the energy to spend a little more time on what it's trying to say.

That's a long way to say.... thinking of this as a better/worse situation doesn't really work for me. Rather, I think of them as two different flavors. It's like chocolate chip mint and butter pecan. Two flavors of ice cream I like very much for different reasons because they have their own unique strengths.

The first time I listened to the cd, I definitely had instant favorites. Half-Life, First Train Home, A-ha! The more I listened to the album as a whole, the more I fell in love with the tunes. I can't stop playing them over and over. Imogen Heap is so talented and she definitely outdid herself this time around. The booklet layout is beautiful ,and the instrumental tracks (bonus) are wonderful to listen to, they're very relaxing. If you liked her previous works, you won't be disappointed with this one.

Imogen has presented us with a brave, new interesting gem of an album, which takes a few spins to secure a vital attachment. True, at first, it sounds like all bells, whistles, vacuums, and bird songs, but upon the second and third and fourth listen, the songs slowly begin to leap out at you, as if to say, "here I am, here's my hook, you missed me the last time, because you were too overwhelmed with everything going on." Honestly, there's so much beauty to be had here. 'Swoon' and 'Canvas' are mesmerizing. 'Aha' is a magical carpet ride fit for a Tim Burton film, and 'First Train Home' is the obvious first choice of an ear-pleasing single. As for the closer, 'Half-Life', well, it's sugar on the ears, heartbreakingly gorgeous, and the reason Imogen is a star in the making.