Thoughts on Beach House - ’7’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-eBDrE25ec?rel=
Beach House’s latest album, 7, is the first release of this year that I’ve really loved to listen to. In its entirety—the songs, the album art, the packaging, and the music video so far—it really feels like a cohesive experience to behold. Musically, the band has reached new ground, maintaining the fantastic vocals and layering guitars from past albums, but also introducing heavy shoegaze influence and a darker tone.
This moody palette is not only prominent on the album’s songs but the visuals, too. The video for “Dark Spring,” the album’s opener, feels like a perfect fit for the song’s atmosphere. In the video, the song’s dreamy guitar riffs, booming drums, and soft, light vocals are paired with beautiful textures, like a snowy nighttime street scene and an eerie, old home filled with pulsing lights and smoke.
The range of styles on 7 is also stunning. “Pay No Mind” feels like a perfect summer festival song, with its churning guitars and satisfying drum kicks. While the song has a slower pace than many others on the album, it is delightfully interesting to listen to. There are lots of other surprises on the album that make for that next level of interest: echoey whistles on “L’Inconnue” (where Victoria Legrand sings in French), to the mesmerizing rhythm of the synthesizer on “Black Car”, and finally, the nostalgic tone of the piano notes in “Last Ride”.
The album cover for 7 bears considerable resemblance to the new music. The grungy collage of black-and-white textures along with holographic foil seem to match the album’s standout aspects very well—musical sensory overload, with the variety of instruments and sounds, and a quiet, shining introspective quality.
I’m looking forward to the many, many repeat listens this album will provide in the coming months and years.