Beach House - "Superstar"

Beach House return with four new songs from their upcoming album due in February. "Superstar" is an instant highlight.

Beach House never fails to sound like Beach House. Their singular sound has been part of their DNA since their self-titled debut and has continued to evolve and grow over the course of seven, soon to be eight, albums. With each new record, there are new flourishes, textures, and tones that add to their majestic allure. Once Twice Melody, their next record, is an eighteen track behemoth that will be released in four installments over the next few months leading up to the full album drop in February 2022. The first installment continues down that familiar path of crystalized synths, honey-dipped vocals, and sullen moods that sparkle through a vintage gaze. This is the first album fully produced by Victoria and Alex with no outside help and it's clear that they're in full control here. On "Superstar," the second track in this chapter and on the album as well, the band fires on all cylinders and conjures up some new magic that swells with elegance and grace. It's the audio equivalent of a prism capturing light and reflecting it back in the most vibrant and impressive rainbow you can imagine. The drum machine sounds rich and full and the layers of melody shine brighter than anything they've ever done before, reaching to the cosmos and never touching back down. The grandest statement of the bunch and maybe the one the best captures their distinct sound, it feels like the culmination of everything they've released in the past, repurposed and given new life. It's bold, lush, and impeccably dreamy. Listening to it feels like being under a full moon and seeing nightlife under a natural spotlight. Fleeting synths are the undercurrent on this one, but a pumping rhythm is what drives to forward and shoots it to the moon. It's a rich, technicolor wonder and dazzling achievement in the career of a band already operating above all others. A remarkable song from one of the best groups in the game.

Once Twice Melody is out February 18 via Sub Pop (US) / Bella Union (UK/Europe) / Mistletone (Australia / New Zealand).