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List Price: $11.98 | | Label: RCA
Salesrank: 313
Released: August 25, 2009 |
| Our Price: $8.55 |
| Used Price: $7.85 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Ellipse Track Listing:
1. First Train Home
2. Wait It Out
3. Earth
4. Little Bird
5. Swoon
6. Tidal
7. Between Sheets
8. 2 - 1
9. Bad Body Double
10. Aha!
11. The Fire
12. Canvas
13. Half Life
Editorial Review:
Imogen Heap--singer/songwriter/producer and two-time Grammy nominee--is back with her much anticipated new solo album, Ellipse. Beginning in Hawaii and working her way through Fiji, Imogen Heap has poured her heart and soul into writing her next masterpiece. Ellipse was recorded in her new studio, which she built in her old family home in Essex, U.K., and features the lead track "First Train Home."
Ellipse Reviews:
Right on 
2009-12-07 - I first heard of Imogen Heap after listening to Hide and Seek from the previous album. Nothing had just hit me like that song. That's what piqued the interest in purchasing this album.
I enjoyed pretty much every track with a few exceptions. Really enjoy the layering that goes on with this artist's work. The musicality is great also. Some groups, some CDs... they just lack the variety to fill an entire disc with different, interesting and beautiful music... Not so with this album.
So many different sounds and expressions, you won't get bored.
A terrific, unique album 
2009-11-27 - How I wanted to give this album five stars! Its dense, interesting timbric palette, great tunes, and Imogen's always-stellar vocals make it one of the best albums I've heard all year.
And I realize that when you're as big a fan as I am of "Speak For Yourself," Imogen's previous album, there's some danger of judging the new work on the older work's terms, which isn't fair if the new work represents a significant (and good) change in artistic direction. (I'm not sure "Ellipse" represents that, but it certainly strikes me as a step forward in her technique as an arranger and producer.)
The only thing is, as Immi said herself (lyrically) in her Frou Frou days, music needs to "make a complete stranger cry," and while for me the song "Wait It Out" comes close, for some reason none of the songs on "Ellipse" pick me up and shake me quite as hard as "Just For Now," "The Walk," and "The Moment I Said It" (all on "Speak For Yourself") still do.
Which is not to say "Ellipse" is anything but a terrific album. "First Train Home," "Wait it Out," "Aha," and "Tidal" stand out especially, as first-rate songs with unparalleled singing and highly original orchestrations that stick with you. My whole life I've sought electronic music this good, and very seldom found it -- Imogen Heap really is in class by herself.
So in summary, please don't fixate on my 4-not-5-star rating and my not-quite-tear-induced reaction; do yourself a favor and check out this album, and if you really want a treat, see Imogen Heap in concert at the earliest opportunity. (She's a brilliant performer, and always selects unexpectedly great opening acts.) "Ellipse" is another remarkable effort by a completely unique songwriter and singer, one who may, I'm convinced, be on the verge of greatness.
Steady producer of quality music
2009-11-24 - I am not sure, at this point, that Ellipse is better than her previous album, but it is at least as good. She still intrigues me with interesting music, that is just different enough than mainstream, but not so weird that she's way out there. Keep it up, Imogen Heap!
The Heap returns...
2009-11-06 - It's been a long four year wait, as Imogen fans haven't had an album since 2005. I personally hate waiting for long periods of time for new CD releases; but I suppose I should cut Miss Heap some slack for that. After all, she manages everything: song-writing, compositions, album production, etc., when it comes to her music. She's better for it too, as most artists these days don't even bother to write their own material. So, I'll put the irritation of a four-year wait aside as it's better that there's quality rather than a terrible rushed release.
Ellipse is out now and in true Heap style, it sure has been prone to mixed impressions by music critics. Some are downright negative, stating that Heap layers too many instrumentals into her songs distracting from her vocals. On the flip-side, there are positive statements, which praise Heap's vocals and her instrumental arrangements.
Anyways,
Despite the conflict between critics, I ordered the CD a week or two after it was released. Since then I've allowed it to sink in for a couple of months. My conclusion: this is a worthy follow-up to Speak for Yourself. There's a reason Ellipse skyrocketed to #4 on the Canadian bestselling list and hit #1 on the US release charts. It is simply marvellous. I keep coming back to it to have a listen again and again. In many ways it's like the continuing saga of SFY. It doesn't sound the same; but it carries the Heap signature. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like Miss Heap has refined her style. Ellipse has the sound of an artist progressing and finding her niche. The compositions still tell a story, wrapped up in an album.
Imogen Heap stated that she didn't want to be making the same album twice; but rather for us to enjoy another style she brought to the table. This includes new themes. There's the fun "Bad Body Double," in which Heap refers to viewing ideal beauty vs. realistic aging. "Little Bird" muses about how life can be seen through different angles. On top of all this lyrics are catchy and engaging, as Heap sings at full power. "Temporal dead zone/ where clocks are barely breathing/ yet no one cares to notice for all their yammering on/ I clam up to hold it together" nicely contrasts the forceful, but soft, "What matters to you, it doesn't matter, matter to me" as Heap switches tones in the opener "First Train Home." It sees Heap waiting for a party to end as she's having a miserable time. Naturally she wants to go home and ironically it's a song that most of us can relate to after having a bad day. If you're having one of those, take a moment to listen to "First Train Home" and you'll find yourself nodding in agreement. I know I did. It's definitely one of the album highlights.
Elsewhere there's the relaxing instrumental "The Fire," with its piano interlude overlaid with crackling sounds. "Aha" is a somewhat creepy venture - with music that could match a Halloween production. But the vocals are sung in such a different style it sounds like two different songs in one. (It reminds me, oddly enough, of some of Bjork's songs, which can get that way.) "Swoon" is more of a fun interplay as Miss Heap dreams about securing the man that she's been crushing on. It has a dancing, if not somewhat eccentric, beat to it. So there are multiple rhythms to enjoy while you're listening.
Yet, with all of this, I haven't even gotten into the 4 highlights, aside from "First train Home," that make this album even more memorable. The first of these would be the ballad "Wait it Out." It happens to be incredibly emotional, revolving around a broken heart. "We're closed to the earth till further notice," she croons sadly, as she reminisces about the breakup. "Everybody says/that time heals everything/but what of the wretched hollow," the chorus begs the question. In fact, it's so hard not to get pulled into the song because Miss Heap sings is so powerfully that it commands recognition. "Tidal" is another such gem - it can be playful and serious simultaneously. The instrumentals switch it up quite a bit during the song, adding a thundering crescendo at the end with the lines "Do what you want/Just how you like/Nobody has to know." It's thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. Third on the list would be the second single "Canvas" which is lyrically ambiguous; but seems to be referring to the hardships of life. It's the instrumentals that really shine: if I didn't know the song was on an album, I'd think it were a soundtrack score. I know that seems a bit pretentious; but I have to be honest. Finally, there's the airy "2-1/Polyfilla" track. Imogen Heap seems to be singing into dead space at the beginning as instrumentals begin swirling around her voice. The song builds as it goes along, making it impressive. Some find this song a little too strange; but I think it's wonderfully composed and sung.
Rounding off all of this, if you have the Expanded Edition, is the Instrumental CD. It's basically all the songs without the vocals. So, if you want to listen to the background music alone, it makes for an interesting experience. One final note: it's best if you play the music, for the first time, with some sort of stereo system (like a CD boombox or ipod stereo holder). I find the addition of speakers allows the listener to hear the full effect of the songs. It's vastly different than listening to it through headphones.
Well, seeing as I've gone on a tad too long, I'll leave it at that. Ellipse will not disappoint and it's worth the wait.
near masterpiece, but not what i was expecting
2009-10-29 - i was hoping for a continuation of Imogen's last disc. it had it all... great beats and angelic singing. Ellipse is many times more mellow than its direct predecessor, but is still very good. i enjoyed the music more on Speak for Yourself. i thought it was more upbeat, and i can listen to that disc at anytime regardless of what mood i am in. the music on this album is a bit more boring, but lets Imogen's voice stick out more... not a bad thing. however, i find myself only wanting to listen to Ellipse when trying to relax... also not a bad thing. but i have a feeling that listening to it in the car would put me to sleep at the wheel. not because it is boring, but just because it has such a soft sound, like a lullaby.
