Beach HouseBeach House's follow-up to last year's slightly underwhelming (by their standards) B-sides & Rarities is notably darker.
There seems to be a subconscious effort throughout to escape the dream pop sub-genre they invented, and while those elements still exist, it's probably the closest the band have come to a My Bloody Valentine/John Carpenter drone sound. Fans may lament the slightly different direction and while early albums like Teen Dream and Bloom remain the band's best work, 7 could eventually occupy a place among them thanks to its "grower" status.
The opening song and first single Dark Spring pairs Victoria Legrand's vocals, normally the driving force for all of their songs, with guitarist Alex Scally's on par voice. They are then combined with the unrelenting drone of the synth, an unorthodox approach as far as Beach House songs go, but it works and is the standout track. The next song is the maternal Pay No Mind, a more usual approach that will appease fans despite later tracks hinting at a group wanting to try new things; Dive and Black Car are some of the more interesting ideas on the album. Although missing the type of hits that made people fall in love with Teen Dream and Bloom, 7 is more of a grower and a grown-up album that is, eventually, rewarding.
Overall it's a record that shows a band willing experiment without compromising quality.
