Ellipse (album)

The album's title is taken from Heap's elliptical-shaped home in Essex, England wherein she began work on the project. The album's artwork was created using pictures from Flickr taken by fans.{{cite web |last1=Block |first1=Melissa |title=Imogen Heap: Even The Kitchen Sink |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112440133 |website=NPR |access-date=25 November 2020 |language=en |date=1 September 2009}} She composed and wrote all of the songs on the album prior to recording them in the studio, and recorded all of the vocals for the album in one month.{{cite magazine |last1=Barker |first1=Chris |date=Autumn 2009 |title=In The Studio: Imogen Heap |url=https://archive.org/details/FutureMusicAutumn2009/page/n27/ |language=en |magazine=Future Music |publisher=Future Publishing |access-date=1 December 2020 |issue=219 |pages=42{{hyphen}}48}} During the making of the album, she frequently uploaded early studio mixes of its songs online in order to receive feedback from fans.{{cite book |last1=Morris |first1=Jeremy Wade |title=Selling Digital Music, Formatting Culture |date=2015 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Oakland, California |isbn=978-0-520-96293-4 |page=208 |jstor=10.1525/j.ctv1xxx9f |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctv1xxx9f}}

In July 2009, a promotional copy of the album (designed by Andy Hau{{cite web|url=http://andyhau.com/Imogen_Heap.html |title=Imogen Heap |publisher=Andyhau.com |accessdate=2012-02-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317005340/http://andyhau.com/Imogen_Heap.html |archivedate=17 March 2012}}) appeared on eBay; Heap in return placed a bid of £10,000,000 to try to reclaim the album, which eBay rejected.{{cite web |last=Kernohan |first=Marcus |url=http://stereokill.net/2009/07/05/imogen-heap-in-10m-bid-for-her-own-record/ |title=Imogen Heap in £10m bid… for her own CD |publisher=stereokill.net |accessdate=2012-02-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828104402/http://stereokill.net/2009/07/05/imogen-heap-in-10m-bid-for-her-own-record/ |archivedate=28 August 2009}} As of 8 July, eBay had ended the auction.{{cite news| url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/07/08/british-singer-songwriter-imogen-heap-solves-an-ebay-crisis/ | work=The Wall Street Journal | title=With Help From Fans, British Music Star Imogen Heap Solves an eBay Crisis | first=Jim | last=Fusilli | date=8 July 2009}} On 14 July, the first single "First Train Home" was released, and a digital pre-order for the album became available on iTunes in two versions.

The deluxe version includes instrumental tracks of the entire album. Both standard and deluxe editions feature a "Behind the scenes" video when pre-ordered. As the song "The Fire" is already an instrumental, the "instrumental" version on the Deluxe edition's second disc consists of just the crackling fire in the background of the song proper. The solo piano track, without the fire sounds, was included only on the Deluxe CD copy of the album, as a hidden track at the end of "Half Life"; digital copies omit this hidden track.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

Many of the songs on Ellipse sample sounds recorded from around Heap's house, including the sound of water hitting the kitchen sink, a jack-in-the-box, and a banister.

The song "Swoon" features a theremin-like sound, inspired by a tweet from a fan suggesting that she include a theremin on the album. The instrumentation of "Tidal" includes a pitched-down flute played by Ashwin Srinivasan, acoustic guitar played by Heap, synths, and a Game Boy made into a makeshift keyboard by Heap's friend. The song also features vocals from Srinivasan.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1596492}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2Score = C{{cite web|last=Koski |first=Genevieve |url=https://www.avclub.com/imogen-heap-ellipse-1798206794 |title=Imogen Heap: Ellipse · Music Review · The A.V. Club |work=The A.V. Club |date=2009-08-25 |access-date=2014-05-07}}

| rev3 = Billboard

| rev3Score = 3.5/5{{cite magazine |last=Mason |first=Kerri |title=Review: Imogen Heap, "Ellipse" |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1070984/imogen-heap-ellipse |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=27 August 2018}}

| rev4 = The Boston Globe

| rev4Score = Favourable{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2009/08/24/imogen_heap_ellipse |title=Imogen Heap, 'Ellipse' - The Boston Globe |publisher=Boston.com |date=2009-08-24 |accessdate=2014-05-07}}

| rev5 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev5Score = {{Rating|2|4}}{{cite web|author=Culture |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/6056627/Imogen-Heap-Ellipse-CD-review.html |title=Imogen Heap: Ellipse, CD review |work=The Daily Telegraph|date=2009-08-24 |accessdate=2014-05-07}}

| rev6 = The Guardian

| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |first=Caroline |last=Sullivan |title=Review: Imogen Heap, Ellipse (Megaphonic) |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/aug/14/imogen-heap-cd-review |journal=Film & Music |publisher=Guardian Media Group |issue=14 August 2009 |page=9 | location=London | date=14 August 2009 | accessdate=1 May 2010}}

| rev7 = Paste

| rev7Score = 8.0/10{{cite web |last=duBrowa |first=Corey |title=Review: Imogen Heap, "Ellipse" |url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/08/imogen-heap-ellipse.html |accessdate=27 August 2009}}

| rev8 = PopMatters

| rev8Score = {{Rating|7|10}}{{cite web|last=Lyndal |first=Erin |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/109814-imogen-heap-ellipse/ |title=Imogen Heap: Ellipse |publisher=PopMatters |accessdate=2014-05-07}}

| rev9 = Slant

| rev9Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=1826 |title=Music |publisher=Slant Magazine |accessdate=2014-05-07}}

| rev10 = Sputnikmusic

| rev10Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=40456 |title=Imogen Heap - Ellipse (album review 3) |publisher=Sputnikmusic |date=2009-08-19 |accessdate=2014-05-07}}

}}

Critical response to Ellipse was generally positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 68, based on 12 reviews.{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/imogenheap/ellipse |title=Ellipse Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic |publisher=Metacritic.com |accessdate=2012-02-15}} It also earned her a further two Grammy Nominations on 2 December for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for "The Fire" and Best Engineered Non-Classical Album. On 31 January 2010, it was announced that Heap had won the latter award.

Ellipse debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and spent a total of 9 weeks on the chart,https://www.billboard.com/artist/imogen-heap/chart-history/tlp/ while also debuting at number 4 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and spending a total of 2 weeks on that chart.https://www.billboard.com/artist/imogen-heap/chart-history/tlp/ She also earned three more top 5 entries (including a chart topping entry) in other Billboard chartshttps://www.billboard.com/artist/imogen-heap/chart-history/elp/https://www.billboard.com/artist/imogen-heap/chart-history/rck/https://www.billboard.com/artist/imogen-heap/chart-history/alt/

As of 2011, the album had sold 161,000 copies in the United States.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/472326/imogen-heap-talks-new-album-fan-created-first-songl|magazine=Billboard|title=Imogen Heap Talks New Album, Fan-Created First Song|first=Jason|last=Lipshultz|date=28 March 2011|accessdate=14 April 2019}}

The album sold 48,025 copies worldwide in its first week. Which is the most copies Imogen has sold in a singular week.https://www.antimusic.com/news/09/sep/03Imogen_Heap_Reaches_Career_High.shtml

In October 2008, Heap travelled to America to perform at Pop!Tech in Camden, Maine. She performed the song 'Wait It Out' live, for the first time ever on 24 October.{{cite web|url=https://www.twitter.com/imogenheap/status/972848289 |title=Twitter / Imogen Heap: wow.. what an amazing day! |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2008-10-23 |accessdate=2012-02-15}} The performance was recorded and released on Youtube.com the following day.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuBMLRK-fWs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/PuBMLRK-fWs |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=imogen heap - wait it out (live at pop!tech) (with lyrics) |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-02-21 |accessdate=2012-02-15}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5CNoFfCW0g |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/S5CNoFfCW0g |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Imogen Heap PopTech performance |publisher=YouTube |accessdate=2012-02-15}}{{cbignore}}

On 24 August 2009, Heap appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman (although the episode didn't air until the 28th) and performed "First Train Home". On her Twitter page, Imogen admitted that she messed up on the second line of the second verse during the performance.

The following day, on 25 August, Imogen headed to the WNYC Radio Station in New York to play "First Train Home" and "Half Life" on air and give a short interview.{{cite news |title=Imogen performs 'First Train Home' and 'Half Life' live on WNYC's Soundcheck. |url=http://www.wnyc.org/flashplayer/player.html#/play/%2Fstream%2Fxspf%2F139281 |date=25 August 2009 |work=New York City, NY, USA |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817144041/http://www.wnyc.org/flashplayer/player.html#/play/%2Fstream%2Fxspf%2F139281 |archivedate=17 August 2009}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Standard edition (Disc 1)

| total_length = 48:41

| all_writing = and produced by Imogen Heap, except where noted

| title1 = First Train Home

| length1 = 4:13

| title2 = Wait It Out

| length2 = 3:57

| title3 = Earth

| length3 = 3:34

| title4 = Little Bird

| length4 = 4:07

| title5 = Swoon

| length5 = 3:54

| title6 = Tidal

| length6 = 3:50

| title7 = Between Sheets

| writer7 = {{hlist|Imogen Heap|Christiaan Virant|Zhang Jian}}

| length7 = 2:54

| title8 = 2-1

| length8 = 4:42

| title9 = Bad Body Double

| length9 = 4:07

| title10 = Aha!

| length10 = 2:27

| title11 = The Fire

| length11 = 1:59

| title12 = Canvas

| length12 = 4:55

| title13 = Half Life

| length13 = 4:02

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japan bonus track

| total_length = 52:27

| title14 = Not Now But Soon

| length14 = 3:46

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition (Disc 2)

| extra_column =

| total_length = 1:39:26

| title1 = First Train Home

| note1 = instrumental

| length1 = 4:15

| title2 = Wait It Out

| note2 = instrumental

| length2 = 3:47

| title3 = Earth

| note3 = instrumental

| length3 = 3:35

| title4 = Little Bird

| note4 = instrumental

| length4 = 4:08

| title5 = Swoon

| note5 = instrumental

| length5 = 3:52

| title6 = Tidal

| note6 = instrumental

| length6 = 3:51

| title7 = Between Sheets

| note7 = instrumental

| length7 = 2:55

| title8 = 2-1

| note8 = instrumental

| length8 = 4:43

| title9 = Bad Body Double

| note9 = instrumental

| length9 = 4:07

| title10 = Aha!

| note10 = instrumental

| length10 = 2:27

| title11 = The Fire

| note11 = "instrumental"

| length11 = 1:57

| title12 = Canvas

| note12 = instrumental

| length12 = 4:55

| title13 = Half Life" (instrumental) / "The Fire

| note13 = piano instrumental; only on CD pressing

| length13 = 6:13

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = iTunes exclusive pre-order video

| title14 = Behind the Scenes with Imogen

| length14 = 4:07

}}

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web |title=Ellipse / Imogen Heap |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/3058467/credits |website=Tidal |language=en}}

• Imogen Heap{{spaced en dash}}vocals, production, mixing, engineering, programming
• Ashwin Srinivasan{{spaced en dash}}background vocals (track 6), flute (track 6)
• Leo Abrahams{{spaced en dash}}electric guitar (tracks 2, 6)
• Oli Langford{{spaced en dash}}violin (tracks 2, 6, 9{{en dash}}10, 12{{en dash}}13)
• Ian Burdge{{spaced en dash}}cello (tracks 6, 8, 10, 12{{en dash}}13)
• Richie Mills{{spaced en dash}}drums (tracks 6, 9)
• Arve Henriksen{{spaced en dash}}trumpet (tracks 8, 13)
• Simon Heyworth{{spaced en dash}}mastering

{{div col}}

• Jennie Hancock{{spaced en dash}}projection production
• Ewan Robertson{{spaced en dash}}projection production
• Andy Hau{{spaced en dash}}logo
• Mark Wood{{spaced en dash}}management
• Richard Bull{{spaced en dash}}design
• Annelieke Bosdijk{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Albert Q Bui{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Jessica Butler{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Alex Carmichal{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Randall Dameron{{spaced en dash}}projections
• J. Daniel Geddis{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Vladislav Gusarov{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Adriane Lake{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Nick Moulakis{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Nathan Nye{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Michelle Thomas{{spaced en dash}}projections
• Jeremy Cowart{{spaced en dash}}photography

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (2009) ! Peak position
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|4|artist=Imogen Heap|rowheader=true|accessdate=27 August 2018}}
{{album chart|Scotland|64|date=20090831|rowheader=true|accessdate=17 November 2020}}
{{album chart|UK2|39|date=20090831|rowheader=true|accessdate=17 November 2020}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|5|artist=Imogen Heap|rowheader=true|accessdate=27 August 2018}}
{{album chart|BillboardDanceElectronic|1|artist=Imogen Heap|rowheader=true|accessdate=27 August 2018}}
{{album chart|BillboardRock|4|artist=Imogen Heap|rowheader=true|accessdate=27 August 2018}}
{{album chart|BillboardAlternative|3|artist=Imogen Heap|rowheader=true|accessdate=27 August 2018}}

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (2009) ! Position
scope="row"| US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2009/dance-electronic-albums|title=Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2009|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=17 November 2020}} | 7
Chart (2010) ! Position
scope="row"| US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/dance-electronic-albums|title=Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2010|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=17 November 2020}} | 17

{{col-end}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Imogen Heap}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:Imogen Heap albums

Category:2009 albums

Category:Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

Category:Albums produced by Imogen Heap