3 stars out of 5 -- "Tinkling pianos meet tribal drums, harps and choirs; even Goulding's voice has matured to feature the hint of a whisky-soaked croak.", 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The hooks always go to town, and her voice -- Dolly Parton-dazzling in the upper register -- mates gorgeously with electronics...", "LIGHTS was pure pop bliss, HALCYON is a darker, more intimate journey....The songs are slower, the tempo is lower, and the hurt runs deep.", "Vocally, Goulding has never sounded better, leaping into falsetto just after dropping into a throaty alto, and wringing each feeling out of every lyric."