Review
"Beach House," the enchanting debut album from the duo Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally, unfurls a dreamy labyrinth of sound that cradles nostalgia and melancholia in equal measure. Released in 2006, this album carries the ethereal essence of dream pop with its lo-fi, hazy quality, reminiscent of languid summer days cloaked in an autumnal aura. The sonic landscape is laden with crackling beats, softly spreading guitar distortions, and incandescent organs, all woven together with a nostalgic thread.
Beginning with "Saltwater," the tone is set through a lazy, drifting melody that slowly melds into an ocean of radiant synths. Tracks like "Master of None," with their dreamy guitar and 60's psychedelia vibes, and "Auburn and Ivory," with its classical influences, keep the listener afloat in this almost surreal soundscape. Legrand’s vocals are an ethereal highlight; clear and unaffected, her notes linger and resonate like echoes through a deserted hall, evoking comparisons to Nico. Songs such as "Childhood" and "Apple Orchard" offer warmth and haunting beauty respectively, the latter with its wheezing organ and languid slide guitar. With an average rating of 73/100 on Metacritic, critics found the album's intimate imperfections and spacious sound a refreshing breath of authenticity. - Harper
