Beach House’s first album of 2015, Depression Cherry, is easily my favorite release by the Baltimore dream pop duo. This may come as a surprise as Bloom is recognized by most as their magnum opus, but I do recall mentioning my shoegazing infatuation in the Wildhoney post. The album’s leading single “Sparks” sounds as if it could comfortably fit in My Bloody Valentine’s self-titled track listing (which is nothing short of a triumphant compliment if you are aware of also previously mentioned Loveless obsession).
The pairing of Victoria Legrand’s angelic voice and Alex Scally’s usage of synthesizers and drum machines has never sounded better. Legrand’s vocals now have a more ethereal sound than on previous releases and instead of floating on top of the mix, they comfortably slips into Scally’s synth-layered wall of sound giving it that shoegazey feel I so dearly love.
The Julie Cruise influence is one of the first things I noticed about Depression Cherry. The album’s closer “Days of Candy” could easily fit into the Twin Peaks soundtrack to the point where I would pay to see David Lynch collaborate with Legrand and Scally for Season Three.
Depression Cherry brings shoegaze infused dream pop to the mainstream spotlight and such is executed flawlessly. If you are looking for a beautifully layered album to get lost in, this is the one for you.