London songwriter Imogen Heap is better known for her skill in employing the internet to push her career than for her actual music. She's got hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers and MySpace friends (though not, inexplicably, the sales to match), but the only songs that might be familiar to non-fans are the 2007 Grammy-nominated Can't Take it In and Hide and Seek, which made it on to The OC. This beguiling third album deserves to be her breakthrough moment, though the absence of an obvious Hide and Seek-style focal point may hinder its chances. Ellipse is questing and musically inventive, using electronics as its foundation, but fleshing out the bleeps and clicks with everything from the chirp of jayhawks (on Little Bird) to an Indian flautist (Tidal). An understated vocalist, Heap sounds by turns warm and inviting and mistily detached - and her resemblance to Alanis Morissette on the track Earth cannot go unremarked. Lovely stuff. 4/5 stars

As I’ve said already, the production standard is staggeringly high (perhaps a reason why she has recently teamed up to assist Mika with a song on his new album – make of that what you will). At some points, it can seem a little too much, as layer upon layer continues to build and bits of music are consequently lost. You are occasionally left wondering how decent the vocals would sound if you took away the numerous effects streaming through them. The answer… is pretty damn good.

Where to start with an album that sounds like its been released 7-8 years too late. Production sounds cheap and seems full of gimmicks from start to finish. So many tracks on Ellipse sounds like they're geared up for being background music for soppy scenes in teen dramas, so it's no surprise to find that past work has been used during an episode of the O.C. These flowery instances are never more evident than in Want It Out with its collection of lyrics about 'time healing everything' and how about 2-1 which croons about 'dying to know what's in your head' which just end up churning out the usual age old clichés of a ballad. As if these lyrics weren't bad enough what's then served up on Bad Body Double is just plain hideous. A song which is basically about looking in the mirror and not liking what you see, provides some of the most cringe worthy lyrics in recent history 'Hi there to my bad body double/I've got bad body double trouble' - 'sometimes I manage to lose her and shake her at a bar or a gym for five minutes' it really is no surprise that this is an original concept.

5. ‘Swoon’ – a pop injection in the album, a love song with a positive vibe that soars and bubbles under the surface. Tumbling whirly gigging melodies; “My world begins to dance”.

6. ‘Tidal’ – An orchestral intro that bursts into guitar melodies and strings, blended with electro vibes. Pure vocals that echo tidal shapes and develop into more positive and lively melodies that pulsate into rock melodies at the end. Probably the rockiest Imogen Heap has ever experimented with.

10. ‘Aha!’ – Darts and shoots in all directions; a creative structure that peaks and drops. A multi-tonal track that builds into a distorted fairground sound.

13. ‘Half Life’- Closing tracks should leave a lasting impression and this is a subtle and endearing performance that draws the album to a perfect sugar-coated close, without the frills of synths and vocal effects. “The only way out as you disappear in a puff of smoke”.

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These flowery instances are never more evident than in Want It Out

So many tracks on Ellipse sounds like they're geared up for being background music

"But just as Frou Frou never really got off the ground, Ellipse pretty much suffers the same fate. "

" A recording career that's spanned 11 years, has seen her originally release a solo album"

A search for redeeming features within Ellipse however is no easy task, single First Train Home with its atmospheric intro and fairly likeable chorus is one of very few.

Likewise Aha at least offers some energy and intent but its too little too late for an album that couldn't be more irrelevant if it tried.

Well, in that case, I hope he/she gets every song from "Ellipse" stuck in his/her head everyday for a year.

what an asshole.

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I find that review to be so funny. It's like the most pessimistic person sat down and wrote a review. Of course, I'm also pretty sure this reviewer is a fifth grader. There's no way an adult trying to be some sort of journalist could possibly write so badly.

Well, in that case, I hope he/she gets every song from "Ellipse" stuck in his/her head everyday for a year.

It's not quite a review, but we just posted my article about the heaptweetup and it obviously includes a lot of talk about the music and what Immi said about each track.

Check it out here http://www.covermeinink.com/?content=articles&artid=4

If you went tell me of any different experiences you had!

I really hope you guys aren't planning to go apeshit over every negative review posted. Furthermore, it's from contactmusic, one of the most unreliable entertainment sites on the web.

I really hope you guys aren't planning to go apeshit over every negative review posted. Furthermore, it's from contactmusic, one of the most unreliable entertainment sites on the web.

I really hope you guys aren't planning to go apeshit over every negative review posted. Furthermore, it's from contactmusic, one of the most unreliable entertainment sites on the web.

I really hope you guys aren't planning to go apeshit over every negative review posted. Furthermore, it's from contactmusic, one of the most unreliable entertainment sites on the web.

I find it funny they'd bother to review it. I mean, they're clearly not the target demographic, I think.