 The songs are mostly midtempo , have strong grooves , and occasionally emphasize drums , with various percussive sounds that include bass drums , handclaps , and timpanis . Beginning with an eerie music box loop , " Northern Lights " builds gradually over a drum machine beat and layered , stereo @-@ panning handclaps . The handclaps and drum loop that are buried in the mix of " Gleaux " yield an urgent half @-@ time tremor and obscure chamber strings . The drumming on Goldenheart has a tribal , African @-@ influenced sound , which Richard attributes to the music of her native New Orleans : " It 's that marching band , second @-@ line music , that Creole @-@ influence in the kick , and the snare that drives everything for me . " The album is bookended by stately marches in " Return of a Queen " and " [ 300 ] " . " In Your Eyes " was inspired by the Peter Gabriel song of the same name , which Richard felt had a calypso and South African vibe . Steven Hyden observes several " hallmarks of ' 70s prog and ' 80s soft rock " other than the influence of Gabriel 's " art @-@ school deconstructions of classic ' 60s soul " , including Goldenheart 's Roxy Music @-@ esque album cover . 
