Devotion

Oh my Devotion. Happy 15 years of existence.

I waited to write this review on Feb. 26th so that I could write it on this album’s quinceañera lol. Anyway, Devotion is so so so special. Like the Self-Titled album, this was in the bottom of my list when going through Beach House’s discography. I had an idea that this album was loved by many but forgotten by the majority and so I never really paid much priority to it. I should’ve. This project is insanely comfortable.

For me, the most comfortable they have so far. It feels so winter-y but also so summer-y. It really is a year-rounded sound that I can picture myself listening to without getting tired. This is a very notable and impactful evolution from the Self-Titled album. In all ways, to be fair. Victoria’s voice feels so much more confident and strong. Production and arrangement are out of this world. And I must say that I would kill for them to go specifically back to this wavey and more vocal-focused sound. There’s no album like this in their catalogue. It’s absolutely one of its own kind. With albums like Teen Dream and Bloom, you can see the production similarities in some tracks and how they go hand-in-hand in some aspects - despite still being very different projects. But with Devotion, there is just this feeling of completion and achievement when you listen to it. I feel whole. I feel completed. I feel… good.

My absolute favorites are the gorgeous trio composed by You Came To Me, Gila and Turtle Island. Oh my god such gorgeous cuts. And to be fair, each of them is a straight 10. These three define this album for me. I will shout Astronaut as well - the vocal delivery is other-worldly. Home Again closes this project very well. All of the other tracks - so far in my short month of intense listening - just fall a little under the same sonic structure, making it hard for them to standout. Still gorgeous cuts though. Not a single bad song on here.

That’s all. Another 2000s Beach House record that sounds timeless, comfortable and a record that helped to define them as what they are today - legends. I love this album so fucking much it hurts.