7
by Beach House
  • Record Label: Sub Pop
  • Release Date: May 11, 2018
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 205 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 179 out of 205
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 205
  3. Negative: 17 out of 205
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  1. BrushedRed
    May 11, 2018
    10
    Their best since Bloom. Each and every track are highlights. The last 3 songs are the strongest stretch in their discography. This is a thick, dense album to get lost in. Can’t really say much else. If you thought the singles were great, you’re in for a treat. The album itself is even better than just the singles. I highly recommend. This will probably be my album of the year this year.
  2. Juniorsanctus
    May 11, 2018
    10
    When they released Lemon Glow at Valentines Day I talked to myself: Ok this album certanily gonna be a blast! And then they release Dive and Dark Spring and I was: It's going to be **** amazing! So then Black Car come out....Guys, I literally cried while listening to that song. Beach House was about to drop the best album of 2018 so far and it when i heard the whole record i got soWhen they released Lemon Glow at Valentines Day I talked to myself: Ok this album certanily gonna be a blast! And then they release Dive and Dark Spring and I was: It's going to be **** amazing! So then Black Car come out....Guys, I literally cried while listening to that song. Beach House was about to drop the best album of 2018 so far and it when i heard the whole record i got so excited about how incredible is. Beach House just keeping giving the best melodies and I'm so happy Victoria and Alex exist. It's wonderul!… Expand
  3. stevemeli
    May 12, 2018
    10
    When I first heard "Lemon Glow", the first single off the new album "7", I was as surprised as I was excited. With it's acidic, psychedelic touch "Lemon Glow" brought in the freshness but tasted sour, sounded darker and felt heavier yet beautiful nonetheless... So I was hoping that "Lemon Glow" won't be a flash in the pan within the context of the whole album and soon after we were treatedWhen I first heard "Lemon Glow", the first single off the new album "7", I was as surprised as I was excited. With it's acidic, psychedelic touch "Lemon Glow" brought in the freshness but tasted sour, sounded darker and felt heavier yet beautiful nonetheless... So I was hoping that "Lemon Glow" won't be a flash in the pan within the context of the whole album and soon after we were treated with 3 follow ups; the post-rock sounds of "Dive", the shoegazing "Dark Spring", and the hypnotic "Black Car". All of these songs preceded the album, expanded the Beach House sound to new territories and raised my expectations to stratospheric levels... I had not been anticipating an album this much since Radiohead's "A Moon Shaped Pool"... Even though the singles were expertly picked, the relatively experimental nature of the aforementioned singles is just an introduction to the rest of this album. "L'Inconnue", "Woo", "Drunk In L.A" and "Pay No Mind" are album tracks which I rank among the best Beach House have ever produced and the remaining 3 songs "Lose Your Smile", "Girl Of The Year" and the infinite closer "Last Ride" all make this album worth repeated listens. I consider this as a high creative mark for Beach House and consequently it is their darkest, boldest, heaviest and most immersive Beach House album ever. I highly recommend this, you'll find yourself subsumed by the qualities Beach House offer here. Album Of The Year Contender.… Expand
  4. CharlieGray
    May 11, 2018
    10
    This is my favorite album of the year so far, it’s extremely good, well produced and written, I’m so proud of them, they’ve outdone themselves.
  5. nadick01
    May 11, 2018
    10
    Favorite beach house album to date. Plush, layered, futuristic, beautiful. Love it.
  6. thejosefo
    May 11, 2018
    10
    Incredible, and all the synonyms for that word perfectly describe this album.
  7. Doof
    Jun 5, 2018
    8
    I find it slightly strange that Beach House are considered such a big deal now, they never seemed the 'big band' type - but hats off to them, this feels like a 'big album', a 'big rock album' almost (just without too much rawk). The headline is this is their second best album imo, only bettered by 'Teen Dream'. It might even have the most natural track flow of any of their albums, andI find it slightly strange that Beach House are considered such a big deal now, they never seemed the 'big band' type - but hats off to them, this feels like a 'big album', a 'big rock album' almost (just without too much rawk). The headline is this is their second best album imo, only bettered by 'Teen Dream'. It might even have the most natural track flow of any of their albums, and that's quite the statement. Impressive indeed.… Expand
  8. gustavolsb
    May 11, 2018
    10
    This feels like a step forward from their last two albums, with beautiful and polished songs that could easily fit as a soundtrack of a road trip at night. The instrumentation feels soothing and expansive, and as you listen it definitely feels like a dream, which I didn't expect after the ethereal sounds of Depression Cherry. Definitely one of their best along with Bloom and Teen Dream.
  9. choumah
    May 16, 2018
    10
    Wonderful album. One of my best album of the year so far! Beach house never disappointed.
  10. erolsabadosh
    May 13, 2018
    7
    I desperately want to like this album but I'm finding it quite boring. The production is really nice but the songs aren't really hitting me like their older stuff. It's all a bit too placid, apart from the opening track which just sounds like a mess in my opinion. Lemon Glow has a nice vibe to it but there's nothing here that's giving me goosebumps like Teen Dream, Bloom & Depression Cherry did.
  11. Ricko
    Sep 17, 2018
    8
    As a dedicated Beach House fan, I enjoyed 2015's creative burst when they released 2 albums a few months apart. I also really liked 2017's Bsides and rarities collection. Having said this, with all these releases, "Depression Cherry" was the only I felt was close to special and I did have a feeling that they lacked the magic of the career making "Teen Dream" and career defining "Bloom".As a dedicated Beach House fan, I enjoyed 2015's creative burst when they released 2 albums a few months apart. I also really liked 2017's Bsides and rarities collection. Having said this, with all these releases, "Depression Cherry" was the only I felt was close to special and I did have a feeling that they lacked the magic of the career making "Teen Dream" and career defining "Bloom". "7" has all the magic plus more. This album is the groups most complex and most engaging work in years and brings some extra flavour to their back catalog. Plenty of individual highlights to be found on the album but it's a gripping, outstanding listen in its entirety. Superb.… Expand
  12. tricky-1
    Mar 20, 2022
    9
    ''Teen Dream'', ''Bloom' and ''7'' are masterpieces and everyone who wish to start to listen Beach House must not pass these three albums. ''7'' is their heaviest, but immediate and pretty much accessible album yet. Big songs, plenty hit made. It starts brilliantly, ''Dark Spring'' and conversion to a slower ''Pay No Mind''. And then it hit you with ''Drunk In L.A.'', ''Dive'' and ''Lose''Teen Dream'', ''Bloom' and ''7'' are masterpieces and everyone who wish to start to listen Beach House must not pass these three albums. ''7'' is their heaviest, but immediate and pretty much accessible album yet. Big songs, plenty hit made. It starts brilliantly, ''Dark Spring'' and conversion to a slower ''Pay No Mind''. And then it hit you with ''Drunk In L.A.'', ''Dive'' and ''Lose Your Smile''. It closes perfectly with ''Woo'', ''Girl of the Year'' and ''Last Ride''.… Expand
  13. alejandrostill
    May 27, 2018
    10
    Alejandro González Castillo
    May 11 · Edited ·
    “Most early religions… had a fascination with 7 as being the highest level of spirituality, as in ‘Seventh Heaven.’ At our best creative moments, we felt we were channeling some kind of heavy truth, and we sincerely hope the listeners will feel that,” explains Beach House on their Bandcamp site. And that is exactly how this record feels    Alejandro González Castillo
    May 11 · Edited ·

    “Most early religions… had a fascination with 7 as being the highest level of spirituality, as in ‘Seventh Heaven.’ At our best creative moments, we felt we were channeling some kind of heavy truth, and we sincerely hope the listeners will feel that,” explains Beach House on their Bandcamp site. And that is exactly how this record feels like. It's a grandstanding collection of pure God-like heavenly songs in the shape of revelations grasping spiritual bliss and infinite universal truth.    … Expand
  14. aleppo
    May 14, 2018
    9
    I'm not quite sure what kind of record I was expecting from Beach House, but I know it wasn't this. It's the album's freshness that is its main appeal, and 7's surprise pivot is truly something to behold. This release still represents the duo's core, but it also acts as a stage where Legrand and Scally have opted to take more creative liberties than on previous works. Beach House deftlyI'm not quite sure what kind of record I was expecting from Beach House, but I know it wasn't this. It's the album's freshness that is its main appeal, and 7's surprise pivot is truly something to behold. This release still represents the duo's core, but it also acts as a stage where Legrand and Scally have opted to take more creative liberties than on previous works. Beach House deftly mix their trademark sound ('Pay No Mind,' 'Lose Your Smile') with tracks that place the pair one foot outside their comfort zone ('Dark Spring,' 'Woo'), showing themselves to be in full command of both routes. The lack of musical inhibition on 7 ultimately makes cause for much celebration, as well as enthusiastic anticipation for the band's next step.

    Highlights include 'Dark Spring,' 'Pay No Mind,' 'Lemon Glow,' and 'Lose Your Smile'.    … Expand
  15. mokshaj
    May 18, 2018
    9
    surprisingly good in all possible musical senses, one of the best albums of this year so far
  16. fwtll636
    May 11, 2018
    10
    On their new LP, Beach House steals you from reality and guides you through their dream-realm full of bellowing synths and vocal melodies so perfect they almost seem ethereal. This is Beach House's return to the indie throne and their strongest release in years.
  17. All_ButTrU4
    Aug 19, 2022
    8
    Beach house have long been masters of soundscapes. On each record whilst maintaining their notable hazy shoegaze they've innovated far beyond that genre tag such as the lush folk that peaks through the corners of Teen Dream or the alternative electro on Bloom but on 7 which is perhaps their best they venture further into electronic music but hone the trance like nature of shegaze into aBeach house have long been masters of soundscapes. On each record whilst maintaining their notable hazy shoegaze they've innovated far beyond that genre tag such as the lush folk that peaks through the corners of Teen Dream or the alternative electro on Bloom but on 7 which is perhaps their best they venture further into electronic music but hone the trance like nature of shegaze into a cold lush ocean of sound. Higlights:girl of the year,black car ,lemon glow.

    .    … Expand
  18. petrichor1975
    Apr 4, 2023
    8
    "7" highlights what Beach House does best. It showcases their ability to create harsh guitar-dream pop hybrids, atmospheric synth ballads, and their signature vague and hazy sound. "Dark Spring" begins the record on a driving, yet shoegaze-like trance, which is a different, yet familiar type of opener for the band. "Pay No Mind" gives off a breezy atmospheric change and brings singer,"7" highlights what Beach House does best. It showcases their ability to create harsh guitar-dream pop hybrids, atmospheric synth ballads, and their signature vague and hazy sound. "Dark Spring" begins the record on a driving, yet shoegaze-like trance, which is a different, yet familiar type of opener for the band. "Pay No Mind" gives off a breezy atmospheric change and brings singer, Victoria Legrand's mellow vocals into the spotlight for the first true time on the album.

    The lead single, "Lemon Glow", contains bouncing keys, Alex Scally's moving guitar work, and a hazy ambience that is infectious and extraordinary. The lyrical content on "7" is nothing short of remarkable, which is apparent all the way through. The Baltimore duo brings echoes of 2015's "Depression Cherry" and "Thank Your Lucky Stars" back into play on the scenic and beautiful "L'Inconnue", with its signature drum beat and flowing vocals. The group carries this same, prominent energy into "Drunk In LA", the centerpiece of the album.

    The underlying culmination of "Dive" is a moment of beauty and dreaminess. Although the seventh track, "Black Car", takes a while to fade up, the song is rewarding and blossoms into a familiar sounding Beach House hymn. "Lose Your Smile" is an indie rock-dream pop composite while "Woo" is a more synth-focused anthem. "Girl of the Year" provides the vision of amazing visuals, as do all the songs on "7", and "Last Ride" is that lengthy, captivating album closer in the way that "Take Care" (2010's "Teen Dream"), and "Days of Candy", (2015's "Depression Cherry") are.

    Beach House redefine their position as dream pop paragons and "7" is a majestic, glorious, and splendorous addition to their already brilliant and glimmering catalogue.    … Expand
  19. AnthonyMiller
    May 16, 2019
    10
    Arguably Beach Houses 2nd best release yet next to Bloom. Shoegaze influence is always a standout
  20. Ndrwdvdbrsn
    Oct 9, 2022
    10
    Beach House's seventh album, appropriately titled 7, is their best yet. So underrated.

Awards & Rankings

69
#69 Most Discussed Album of 2018
41
#41 Most Shared Album of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Dusted Magazine
    Sep 10, 2018
    60
    It’s hard to think of 7 as anything other than an extension of Beach House’s sound, incorporating slightly different, smaller ideas but all easily applied to their own syntax.
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  2. Under The Radar
    Sep 10, 2018
    85
    Beach House is reaching for the moon once more on the beloved Baltimore duo's most stimulating aural experience to date.
    Read full review
  3. Spin
    May 16, 2018
    80
    A short, precise album which is equal parts inventive and masterful.
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