Lights

Brit-winning newcomer’s debut is solid rather than spectacular.

Ellie Goulding tripped into the public consciousness two weeks ago, as she stood knock-kneed and tongue-tied between Fearne Cotton, Geri Halliwell and Courtney Love at the BRITs, having just been handed the Critics’ Choice Award.

The previous two holders of this tip-for-the-top gong were Adele and Florence And The Machine, and the assured Lights suggests that Goulding is likely to mirror the commercial success of her predecessors.

The Herefordshire girl was originally a folk-tinged singer-songwriter, but here her compositions are whipped into a heady electro-pop froth reminiscent of Little Boots by her collaborator and producer, Fin ‘Starsmith’ Dow-Smith.

Effervescent tracks such as Under The Sheets and current single Starry Eyed are perfectly enjoyable if essentially conventional slivers of would-be chart-pop capable of keeping both the NME and Radio 2 on board. Lights is pleasant but unremarkable: hard to dislike but impossible to love.

Album Review by Ian Gittins