Halcyon is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, released on 5 October 2012, by Polydor Records. It was recorded at multiple studios across the United Kingdom and Canada, including locations in Wales, London, Brighton, and Montreal. She worked with several producers on the album, such as Jim Eliot, Starsmith, Billboard, Justin Parker, and Monsta, in addition to collaborating with artists Tinie Tempah and Calvin Harris. Halcyon is a pop and electropop album that expands on the electronic foundations of Goulding's debut studio album, Lights, through influences from synth-pop, electronica, R&B, and EDM. Characterized by synthesiser-driven production, layered vocal arrangements, piano, and percussion, the album features Goulding's breathy vocals across lower-register and falsetto passages. Its lyrics were shaped by a period of personal transition and explore themes of heartbreak, love, desire, longing, and emotional vulnerability. Music critics provided generally positive reviews for Halcyon, complimenting Goulding's more aggressive showcase of her voice and the album's bold production. From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halcyon...) under Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)