Beach House ‘7’ review: Another great album to add to the pile

There’s a running indie rock joke that Beach House remake the same album over and over again. Such cruelty is enough to make a person grimace and sigh.

Yet, there’s a grain of truth to it. Since the release of their self-titled debut 12 years ago, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally have leaned on the same woozy, ornate, lovesick dream pop sound, adding only minor upgrades along the way.

This approach might have grown tedious but the music has been consistently strong. That’s the thin line between being stale and consistent.

New album 7 – their seventh full-length, you see – features some evolution. The slow, emotive crawl of Pay No Mind summons the spirit of The Jesus and Mary Chain. Dive is racked with tension as the propulsive guitar lines rollick along like the wheels might fall off at any second.

Most of 7, though, is blissful. The cosmic melody and celestial keys of Dark Spring sound like a trip to another galaxy as Legrand, head in the stars, finds beauty in watching distant worlds collide and crumble.

Elsewhere, the soft, delicate Black Car is as soothing as a cool wind in the desert heat.

Fire all jokes into the sun – this is another great Beach House record to add to the pile.