For anyone who prefers
Ellie Goulding
on the dancefloor,
Higher than Heaven
is a welcome return to that space. Her fifth full-length and follow-up to 2020's
Brightest Blue
, this tightly packed set of synth-washed, neon bangers eschews the deep introspection and personal slant of its predecessor, barreling headlong into the club in search of healing through euphoria and release. Described by the artist as her "least personal" album to date,
Heaven
focuses on pure thrills and escapism like similarly reactive COVID-era energizers from
Dua Lipa
,
Kylie Minogue
, and
Ava Max
. The album's catchiest moments are produced by
Koz
(
Lykke Li
Lights
), who plucks the most addictive textures from across the decades -- disco, '80s pop, and '90s house -- for highlights such as "Midnight Dreams," "Cure for Love," the throbbing "Like a Saviour," and the shimmering title track. Meanwhile, "By the End of the Night" strikes an ideal balance between
Goulding
's fun and melancholy sides, delivering a yearning yet uncertain early peak. Elsewhere, both the hazy "Love Goes On" and the strutting "Easy Lover" with
Big Sean
benefit from warm R&B smoothness courtesy of co-writer/producer
Greg Kurstin
, just as the sensual "Waiting for It" dives deeper into sweaty slow jam territory.
's most intense moment arrives in the second half with the standout single "Let It Die," an urgent earworm about a tragic split that finds the resolve to move on atop an infectious beat and
's most impassioned, anguished performance here. One of her strongest albums to date,
falls somewhere between the commercial blitz of
Delirium
and the fearless, electronic heart of
Halcyon
. While it may not cull from her deep well of personal experiences,
still ends up being one of the most immediate and compulsively listenable efforts in her catalog. ~ Neil Z. Yeung