Ellie Goulding - My Blood

The first thing I found interesting about this track is nice mix of organic and synthetic sounds. The backing for the vocals is quite dynamic. Beginning with acoustic instruments such as guitar and piano and layering pads and other synths in larger sections like choruses is really effective. This is a really good way to work on modern music I think. The return to the acoustic guitar at the end of the chorus reminds me of how thick of a sound is achieved with all those layers working together.

The impact of the piano taking its active role in this track is structured around other sounds dropping out momentarily to make its presence more obvious. There are a number of transitions that operate this way in this track. The removal of drums for these sections works quite well to help me appreciate the intricacy of the piano.

For the outro, the solo vocals are quite nice. It highlights the many layers that were used to make the vocal track special. Listening to the final chorus, backing vocals and chanting are a nice companion to the falsetto highs of the lead vocal.