Ellie Goulding’s “Explosions”: Hear Her New Single

Ellie Goulding has been whetting fans’ appetites with new tracks from her upcoming sophomore LP Halcyon — the sprightly single “Anything Could Happen,” the Active Child cover “Hanging On” and the spare ballad “I Know You Care” — but we’ve been waiting for a big, sweeping original song to get us really excited about this newera.

Thankfully, that’s exactly what she’s delivered with her new promotional single “Explosions,” which has much of the grandeur that was so dazzling on her debut LP Lights. The song boasts a typically heartbreaking vocal performance from Goulding, and you can listen to it below.

A chilly a cappella choir kicks off the song as ambient drums swell, leading up to a tense chorus: “I’m falling from grace / took a blow to my face / I’ve loved and I’ve lost / I’ve loved and I’ve lost,” Ellie sings over the eerie instrumentation. After the chorus, the piano drops and the production surges to a roar, evoking Adele‘s “Set Fire to the Rain” in its melodramatic scale.

“Explosions” may not be as radio-friendly as the ultra-poppy “Lights,” but even if the new track doesn’t end up being a hit, it’s likely to be a fan favorite.

Are you exploding over Ellie’s “Explosions”? Sound off in the comments or tell us on Facebook and Twitter!