Higher Than Heaven is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding. It was released on 7 April 2023, through Polydor Records, serving as a follow-up to her fourth studio album, Brightest Blue (2020). Written largely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Goulding deliberately shifted the album's focus away from the deep introspection of its predecessor, describing it as her "least personal album" to date in favour of escapism and pure thrills. The album spawned four singles: "Easy Lover" featuring Big Sean, "Let It Die", "Like a Saviour", and "By the End of the Night".
Produced by Greg Kurstin, Jesse Shatkin, Koz, Andrew Wells, and among others, Higher Than Heaven is a dance-pop and pop record that draws heavy influence from synth-pop, disco, and 1990s house music. Lyrically, the album focuses on universal themes of love and human connection rather than personal narratives. With generally favourable reviews, Higher Than Heaven debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, marking Goulding's fourth chart-topping album in the country, and tying her with Adele for the most UK number one albums by a British female artist.
Background and development
According to Goulding, Higher Than Heaven was written in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that the palpable "darkness" of the preceding two years, which everyone had experienced differently, meant that "nobody wanted to sit and agonise over some relationship or some drama"; she stated that this context was key to "how this album came together". In contrast to her previous 2020 album Brightest Blue, Higher Than Heaven is her "least personal album", because she wanted a different direction from the introspective tone of her previous record and was "not in the mood to sing about myself". Moreover, she explained that the sense of relief stemmed from the album not being based on her personal experiences, describing it as refreshing to step away from writing about events that had "deeply" affected her.
Discussing the single "Easy Lover" in 2022, Goulding explained that she wrote the song about five years earlier in Los Angeles with producer Greg Kurstin and songwriter Julia Michaels. Regarding her writing style, the singer said she tended to write about shared experiences, stating, "I can't help but write about situations we all go through." She added that she liked the idea of listeners taking "some kind of advice or some help" from her music, and expressed a preference for combining this relatability with her influences in house, dance, and pop music. Separately, Goulding noted that the song in her discography she would always relate to is her 2012 hit "Anything Could Happen", explaining, "It's just the feeling I get every time I perform it", and she added that the song "defines me the best".
Artistic direction Goulding told NME that her artistic focus involved acknowledging her strengths, stating that she was "good at writing pop songs". She further said that, despite working across a range of musical styles such as classical music throughout her career, she ultimately preferred creating "big pop songs that you hear on the radio". Since Higher Than Heaven allowed her to different aspects of herself, Goulding considered the record as her "best album". She also particularly enjoyed the sheer acts of writing and singing again; she found the process to be a "relief and really refreshing", as it meant she did not have to dwell on or revisit all the deeply felt personal events that had happened to her in the studio. She further stated that there was "an element of escapism" in the album and that she aimed to move away from the more introspective tone of Brightest Blue, adding that she "wasn't really in the mood to write ballads".
Composition
Higher Than Heaven is a pop and dance-pop record, incorporating influences from 1980s synth-pop and disco-pop. It is described as "top notch", with Marisa Whitaker of Spin noting the prominence of Goulding's vocals. According to AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung, the album is composed of "set of synth-washed, neon bangers" and places greater emphasis on energetic, club-driven production rather than the subdued approach of its predecessor. Furthermore, it contains "stomping basslines, soaring synths and euphoric melodies" featuring contributions from Greg Kurstin, Jesse Shatkin, Koz, and Andrew Wells. According to uDiscoverMusic's Rhian Daly, the lyrics of Higher Than Heaven focus on broader subjects such as love, desire, and human connection, in contrast to the more personal material of Brightest Blue.
Peter Piatkowski of PopMatters identified Higher Than Heaven as a "solid set of tunes" that continues Goulding's success with "catchy pop tunes". The singer, who described the album as her "least personal" album to date, draws influence from singers such as Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Janet Jackson. Regarding the album's creative process, Goulding noted that "there really weren't any rules" and they "weren't trying to make a cohesive body of work", citing a mix of '80s influences including the Weeknd, Dolly Parton, and ABBA. In Higher Than Heaven, the music weds "sweet lyricism with glossy, shiny dance-floor bangers", which creates an album that resembles a "playlist of Millennial dance music", according to Piatkowski. Yeung wrote that it focuses on "pure thrills and escapism" in the same manner as pop songs written by Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue and Ava Max during the COVID-19 lockdowns. In addition, the album incorporates elements of 1980s-inspired synthpop, alongside influences from house-pop, R&B, and "1990s-era diva pop"; the production was described by Piatkowski as having "an unfailing eye for catchy hooks and hummable lyrics".
Music and lyrics
The opener "Midnight Dreams" is a disco track that draws upon influences from '80s pop and '90s house, teaming "aqueous disco synths" with a "propulsive, funky bassline", according to Liam Hess of Vogue. Hess noted that "Cure for Love" features "swooping disco strings" over a "four-to-the-floor thump" and "stacked layers of Goulding's fluttering, powdered-sugar vocals". According to The Line of Best Fits Sam Franzini, its chorus contains a "playful and catchy" elements that sings of "self-preservation after a breakup". "By the End of the Night" is an dance-pop song; Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic described it as balancing Goulding's contrasting moods, calling it a "yearning yet uncertain early peak on the album". Clash editor Robin Murray described it as "chiming" and "80s-tastic", which serves as a "lush entry point" to the album. Conversely, the "near-monotone delivery" on the chorus is noted by Franzini as not pairing well with ideas that sound plucked straight out of 2015. Murray described "Like a Saviour" as a "bona fide anthem", highlighting its camp and entertaining pop style. Franzini noted its bass, describing it as "nasty and propulsive" and comparable to the style of the Weeknd. Yeung described "Love Goes On" as a "hazy" track that features "warm R&B smoothness"; it was noted by Murray for illustrating Goulding's "impressive chops". "Easy Lover", featuring Big Sean, is a "synthy, dance-pop" and "galactic dance anthem". Fittingly noted for "reaching new heights vocally" by Franzini, the title track is also noted for its shimmering sound and its influences from disco, 1980s pop, and 1990s house. NMEs Nick Levine described "Let It Die" as an "evocative snapshot of a toxic relationship", dipping into "Dua Lipa's nu-disco territory". "Waiting for It" further explores a slow jam–influenced sound, noted by Murray for slightly dropping the tempo, offering a "spartan template" against "raw vocals". On the track, Goulding delivers a similarly compelling performance, singing the line "We can fuck the world away" in a "matter-of-fact" tone.
"How Long" features trap elements, while "Temptation" is highlighted by Murray for its "old-school disco thrills". Hess noted the latter's "Janet Jackson-esque orchestra hits", which contribute to an "oh-so-'80s" feel. According to Murray, "Intuition" features a "chugging Pet Shop Boys esque chorus", and "Better Man" was described by Hess as a "fullest expression" of the confidence that Goulding had developed in past years.
Release and promotion Marketing and singles
Higher Than Heavens first single, "Easy Lover" featuring Big Sean, was released on 15 July 2022. On 19 October, Goulding announced the album's title and revealed its cover artwork, with an initial release date of 3 February 2023. Same day, "Let It Die" was released as the second single, alongside Carlota Guerrero-directed music video. She promoted "Easy Lover" and discussed fan expectations for the project in an interview with Billboard News. However, on 9 January 2023, Goulding announced an initial delay to 24 March, stating: "We've had some exciting opportunities appear behind the scenes." At the same time, it was confirmed that a then-new single titled "Like a Saviour" would be released as of 10 January. On 28 February, she announced a second delay of the album to 7 April, stating issues with sourcing eco-friendly material for the album's physical formats.
On 30 January 2023, Goulding teased a next single, titled "Like a Saviour", releasing it on the day after of the announcement. Its music video was directed by Joe Connor, featuring choreography arranged by Daniel Alwell. "By the End of the Night" was chosen as the last single from the album, released on 22 March. On 31 March, Goulding released the songs "Midnight Dreams", "Cure for Love", "Love Goes On", and "Higher Than Heaven" on digital platforms in conjunction with her appearance on the Amazon Freevee concert film Monumental: Ellie Goulding at Kew Gardens. She also uploaded a visualiser for "Midnight Dreams" on 4 April. Three days later, the day of the album's release, Goulding released a music video for "Better Man", directed by Tom Sandford.
Tour
In support of the album, Goulding announced European dates for the Higher Than Heaven Tour, supported by Canadian singer Olivia Lunny. The tour, scheduled to run throughout the autumn, included major shows across the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. UK stops included cities such as Glasgow, Manchester, and Birmingham, culminating in a headline performance at the Roundhouse in London, while Mainland European stops included Paris, Brussels, Milan, Cologne, and Berlin.
Before the main tour, Goulding also held an intimate, sold-out promotional show at Pryzm in Kingston Upon Thames in May. She also announced shows in the United States, accompanied by an orchestra.
Critical reception
Higher Than Heaven received generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from professional critics, the album received a weighted average score of 77, based on seven reviews. Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave the album a 6.7 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.