If 2012’s ‘Child of the Universe’ was a return to the sound that made Delta Goodrem a global superstar, 2016’s ‘Wings of the Wild’ remains her most experimental body of work. Released by Music On Vinyl as part of their releases of the Australian singer-songwriter’s albums on vinyl, ‘Wings of the Wild’ has been pressed on 180-gram white and black marbled vinyl, limited to 1,500 numbered copies. The release also includes an 8-page colour booklet featuring the song lyrics and credits, along with the artwork from the original release.
Coming after ‘Child of the Universe’, fans would be forgiven for expecting another collection of piano-led songs but that’s not what Goodrem delivered with ‘Wings of the Wild’. Working with new collaborators, as well as some long-time ones, Goodrem really pushed her sound into the realms of pop and dance. Opening track ‘Feline’ sets the tone for an album that’s far more adventurous sonically than anything Goodrem had done prior. With an almost dance-beat backing it, the song is powerful and threatens to break into a club banger any minute. Goodrem pushes her vocals into new territory in the song’s second half and it’s a moment of pure euphoria.
Lead single ‘Wings’, which was another number one for Goodrem in Australia, is a self-empowerment theme set to a commercial pop/dance beat. It’s a million miles away from the singer’s previous hits such as ‘Lost Without You’ but it finds her stepping into new-found confidence and power. That is something that runs throughout the record with highlights that include the piano-led ‘In the Name of Love’ and the rousing swampy ‘The River’, which borrows from roots and gospel music.
Fans of Goodrem’s ballads won’t be disappointed. ‘Only Human’, which was written and recorded for her brief ‘Neighbours’ 30th anniversary return in 2015, is included on the album and the gorgeous ‘Heavy’ is the kind of song that Goodrem can pull off like no other artist. ‘I’m Not Giving Up’ is a defiant mid-tempo number with soaring vocals and powerful lyrics, that resonate with anyone who has battled life’s obstacles with determination.
One of the more unusual moments on the record comes on ‘Enough’ which starts as a beautiful piano ballad before transforming into a hip-hop leaning anthem featuring American rapper Gizzle. It works in the experimental vein of the album but it’s not one of the strongest tracks here. The superior ‘Encore’, which combines beats with breathy vocals, is more interesting and worthy of your attention.
The album comes to a close with a piano cover of The Darkness hit ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’. It’s an odd choice to end the record with but Goodrem manages to put her own stamp on it. Whether or not it’s a song she really needed to record, I’m not too sure, but I kind of like her sensitive take on what’s generally known as a novelty pop/rock record.
‘Wings of the Wild’ is probably Goodrem’s most over-looked album. While I am a fan of Goodrem when she strips things back, this album shows that she can stand above commercial production vocally and still make an album that feels authentic to who she is as an artist. ‘Wings of the Wild’ is the album in Goodrem’s catalogue that grows on you with every listen and this fantastic vinyl release from Music On Vinyl is a good reason to revisit it.
Track list: Side A – 1. Feline 2. Wings 3. Dear Life 4. Just Call 5. In The Name of Love 6. Enough (feat. Gizzle) Side B – 1. Heavy 2. Only Human 3. The River 4. I’m Not Giving Up 5. Encore 6. Hold On 7. I Believe in a Thing Called Love Record label: Music On Vinyl Release date: 26th January 2024 Buy ‘Wings of the Wild’ now
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