The Baltimore duo's music really does grasp the elusive by soundtracking bliss, heartache, yearning, and wistfulness, often within the same song--it is potent, crystallized nostalgia. But this magic can be reduced by some to a vibe, a wallpaper, a shorthand, a fleeting fancy. Such reduction is folly, however. Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally are masterful songwriters and musicians, and listeners can revisit their aural incantations over and over without tiring of their spells.
Beach House's seventh album confirms what we already knew: the duo is a generational talent and has created one of the defining sounds of the post-indie rock era. Legrand's glorious voice/organ tones coupled with Scally's rippling guitars foreground a powerful dialogue between mind, body, and spirit.
7 crackles with beautiful intensity as the duo find the serrated edges and rougher textures of their shapely soundscapes. The push and pull between their lush impulses and sharp elbows add a new dimension to their dreamy tones, wild and ecstatic. The music roils and reverbs, electronic beats merge seamlessly with fuzzed-out guitars, and otherwordly anthems emerge, buzzy and full of romance. Incredible tracks like "Lemon Glow," "Dive," and "Black Car" reveal new and exciting contours, resulting in hands down the best headphone listen of the year.
After creating several classics, Beach House certainly has a claim on this year's top spot. But the more interesting angle is this: bands this far into their careers should not be making such fresh and daring records. It almost never happens. The fact that Legrand and Scally continue to inhabit their gorgeous worlds, their organ swirls, their shimmering guitars, and their unmistakably unique allure, well, it is worth celebrating.
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