Listen up guys, Ellie Goulding is coming back on October 4th with her new album Halcyon and she’s not singing about lights anymore. Granted, that track and extensive remixes that followed were fantastic, I’ve been itching for new work from this British darling. Ellie’s been popping up here and there these past few months with covers of The Weeknd’s “High For This” and Active Child’s, “Hanging On,” but it wasn’t until this past August that we got to hear more of the artist’s original writing and production. I remember getting that little butterfly excitement in my stomach when I saw that she released “Anything Could Happen.” It took no time before it became my go-to pick-me-up track. The original is as light and ethereal as Ellie’s vocals. I walk a little lighter on my feet when this comes on. This track solidified Ellie’s return and it came in bursts of lights, glitter, and wisps of sound.
Today, however, I came across 21 year-old Canadian producer Mike Tucker of Blood Diamonds take on the track and immedielty hit the repeat button on my iTunes. I thought the original track was infectious, but Tucker’s vision for Ellie’s return is pure joy. Rather than beginning the song with Ellie’s bird-like sounds, he brings us in with a shining melody of an electronic harpsichord that drops into the vocals and keeps us floating with subtle synths rising in the background. In reality, though, Tucker’s remix work here is minimal. He keeps the strongest part of the track – Ellie’s vocals – at the forefront of the sound and lets everything else spin beneath her. While Ellie balances on the threshold between techno and pop, Tucker pushes the track fully into the techno spectrum and I’m not complaining. Ellie’s lyrics are simple and honest. They work in harmony with the production. Ellie’s use of technology to make her voice into an instrument rather than using some other machine is endearing and it’s showcased both in the original and the Blood Diamond’s remix. It’s lighter, yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s less of a track. It still gets me lifted and happy.
I feel a little silly that I’m so happy listening to this track, but I can’t contain myself. The story of coming to terms with yourself and knowing that one person isn’t meant to be playing their current role in your life and – most importantly – not getting down about it is perfect for this Sunday. I woke up today with a clearer direction of where I need to push my priorities and where I need to leave some things behind. Sunday is about yourself; a day of rest (and work for some of us), but not a day to spend floating in and out of sleep. For me, I feel back to my old Sunday self and I have this song to thank.
Rest up. Happy Sunday.
Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen (Blood Diamonds Remix)